Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 21, 2026

High Yield Purification of Plasmodium falciparum Merozoites For Use in Opsonizing Antibody Assays
10:38

High Yield Purification of Plasmodium falciparum Merozoites For Use in Opsonizing Antibody Assays

Published on: July 17, 2014

Immunity in malaria: depression of delayed hypersensitivity reaction in acute Plasmodium falciparum infection

O A Akinwolere1, A I Williams, F M Akinkugbe

  • 1Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.

African Journal of Medicine and Medical Sciences
|March 1, 1988
PubMed

Insights

Acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria significantly impairs cell-mediated immunity in Nigerian children, indicated by a suppressed delayed-type hypersensitivity skin reaction to purified protein derivative (PPD). This immune depression was evident in 90% of infected children, regardless of prior BCG vaccination.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Infectious Diseases
  • Paediatrics

Background:

  • Plasmodium falciparum malaria is a major cause of childhood illness in tropical regions.
  • Cell-mediated immunity plays a crucial role in controlling infections and maintaining immune homeostasis.
  • Assessing immune responses in children with malaria is vital for understanding disease pathogenesis and developing interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria on cell-mediated immunity in Nigerian children.
  • To determine if malaria infection affects delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses.
  • To explore the clinical and immunopathological significance of these findings in paediatric practice.

Main Methods:

  • A controlled study involving 30 Nigerian children with acute malaria and 25 healthy controls.
  • Cell-mediated immunity was assessed using the delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin reaction test.
  • The DTH test utilized purified protein derivative (PPD) at a dose of 5 tuberculin units (TU).

Main Results:

  • Marked depression of DTH reaction to PPD was observed in 90% of malarious children (27/30).
  • Only 16% of healthy control subjects (4/25) showed a depressed DTH response (P < 0.0005).
  • Immune suppression occurred despite evidence of previous BCG vaccination in a majority of the children studied.

Conclusions:

  • Acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria profoundly suppresses cell-mediated immunity in children.
  • The observed immune depression has significant implications for tropical paediatric infectious disease management.
  • Further research into the immunopathology of malaria-induced immune suppression is warranted.

More Related Videos

Measuring Naturally Acquired Phagocytosis-Inducing Antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum Parasites by a Flow Cytometry-Based Assay09:57

Measuring Naturally Acquired Phagocytosis-Inducing Antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum Parasites by a Flow Cytometry-Based Assay

Published on: August 6, 2020

In Vitro Assay of Plasmodium-Infected Red Blood Cell Killing by Cytotoxic Lymphocytes08:20

In Vitro Assay of Plasmodium-Infected Red Blood Cell Killing by Cytotoxic Lymphocytes

Published on: August 17, 2022

Related Concept Videos

Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
Hypersensitivity Reactions: Delayed Hypersensitivity Reactions01:29

Hypersensitivity Reactions: Delayed Hypersensitivity Reactions

Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity (DTH), or Type IV hypersensitivity, is a cell-mediated immune response. It occurs when T cells, rather than antibodies, mediate a reaction to specific antigens. It is characterized by a delayed onset (1-2 days) and involves the recruitment of macrophages to the inflammation site.The initiation of a DTH response begins with the sensitization of T cells. During this phase, which lasts at least 1-2 weeks, antigen-specific T cells are activated, clonally expanded, and...
Diversity of Protists II01:27

Diversity of Protists II

Alveolates are a group of organisms recognized by the presence of alveoli, which are cytoplasmic sacs located beneath the cell membrane. While their function remains uncertain, alveoli may help regulate water balance by controlling how much water enters and leaves the cell. In dinoflagellates, these structures may serve as armor plates. There are three major types of alveolates: ciliates, which move using cilia; dinoflagellates, which use flagella for movement; and apicomplexans, which are...
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever01:26

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
Malaria01:29

Malaria

Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...