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[Antimalaria fluorescent antibodies evolution in young children living in a stable malaria area (author's transl)]
Insights
Malarial antibody synthesis begins after 3 months, rising with malaria prevalence. Rural living accelerates antibody production, while chemoprophylaxis slows it, indicating Abidjan is a stable, hypoendemic malaria zone.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Tropical Medicine
- Epidemiology
Context:
- Study conducted in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, during the small rainy season.
- Focus on malarial fluorescent antibody detection in infants and mothers.
- Investigated antibody development across different age groups (newborns, 3-month-olds, 6-24 month-olds).
Purpose:
- To determine the onset and progression of malarial antibody synthesis in infants.
- To correlate antibody levels with Plasmodium falciparum parasite rates.
- To evaluate factors influencing antibody synthesis, such as living conditions and chemoprophylaxis.
Summary:
- Specific antibody synthesis against malaria begins significantly after 3 months of age.
- Malarial antibody levels increase after 6 months, paralleling the observed Plasmodium index.
- Antibody levels in 2-year-olds approach adult levels; rural conditions accelerate synthesis, while chemoprophylaxis retards it.
- Plasmodium berghei proves effective as an antigen for mass surveys.
- Abidjan is characterized as a hypoendemic stable malaria zone within a mesoendemic region.
Impact:
- Provides insights into infant immune responses to malaria in a hypoendemic region.
- Highlights the influence of environmental and medical factors on malaria immunity development.
- Suggests Plasmodium berghei as a suitable antigen for large-scale malaria screening programs.
Abstract:
The detection of malarial fluorescent antibodies have been performed in an Abidjan dispensary on 30 newborn babies with their mothers, 30 children 3 months old and 120 children from 6 to 24 months. This survey took place during the small rainy season and it demonstrates that: --synthesis of specific antibodies is significantly starting after the 3rd month; --the rise, after six months, of the malarial antibodies is parallel to the plasmodic index checked during the same period in the same area; --the rate of antibodies in 2 years old babies is almost the same that in adults; --living conditions in rural areas accelerate the synthesis of antibodies which, adversely, is slowed down by regular chemoprophylaxis; --Plasmodium berghei is a valuable antigen for mass survey; --Abidjan town is an hypoendemic zone of stable malaria in a mesoendemic area.