Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 6, 2026
10:38
High Yield Purification of Plasmodium falciparum Merozoites For Use in Opsonizing Antibody Assays
Published on: July 17, 2014
23.7K
Complement Factor H Levels Associate With Plasmodium falciparum Malaria Susceptibility and Severity
Anna E van Beek1,2, Isatou Sarr3, Simon Correa3
1Department of Immunopathology, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory of the Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Open Forum Infectious Diseases
|August 9, 2018
Summary
Higher Factor H (FH) levels in children are linked to increased malaria severity. This suggests FH may play a role in Plasmodium falciparum malaria susceptibility and could be a target for interventions.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Infectious Diseases
- Malariology
Background:
- Plasmodium falciparum malaria evades host defenses by hijacking complement Factor H (FH).
- Individual variations in FH plasma levels may influence malaria susceptibility and disease severity.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between convalescent FH plasma levels and malaria severity in Gambian children.
- To compare FH levels in children with uncomplicated malaria, severe malaria, and healthy controls.
Main Methods:
- Measured FH plasma levels in 149 children recovering from P. falciparum malaria and 173 healthy controls.
- Compared FH levels between malaria cases and controls, and between severe and uncomplicated malaria groups.
- Utilized multivariate analyses to assess FH associations with severity biomarkers, adjusting for other factors.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in FH plasma levels were observed across controls, uncomplicated malaria, and severe malaria cases (P < .0001).
- FH plasma levels correlated with severity biomarkers like lactate and parasite density, but not PfHRP2.
- Associations between FH levels, malaria severity, and lactate remained significant after adjusting for age and parasite load.
Conclusions:
- Natural variation in FH plasma levels is associated with P. falciparum malaria susceptibility and severity.
- Findings suggest FH may be a potential target for malaria prevention or treatment strategies.
- Further prospective studies are needed to establish a causal link.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:27Complement System
10.8K
The complement system is a group of approximately 20 plasma proteins that strengthen the body's defenses against infections through opsonization, inflammation, and cell lysis. Opsonization involves coating pathogens with complement proteins, making them more recognizable and facilitating phagocyte engulfment. Certain complement proteins induce inflammation that attracts immune cells to the site of infection. Cell lysis involves the destruction of pathogens through the formation of a...
10.8K
00:49Complementation Tests
6.3K
A complementation test is a simple cross to identify whether the two mutations are located on the same gene or different genes. It was first performed by Edward Lewis in the 1940s while working on fruit flies. He developed the test to identify the location and arrangement of different mutations on chromosomes.
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...
Organisms heterozygous for different mutations are crossed pairwise in all combinations. If present on different genes, the mutations can complement each other by providing the missing...
6.3K
01:31Magnetic Susceptibility and Permeability
2.4K
In linear magnetic materials, like paramagnets and diamagnets, magnetization is proportional to the magnetic field intensity. The constant of proportionality, a dimensionless number, is called magnetic susceptibility. The value of the susceptibility depends on the type of material.
When diamagnetic materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Hence, the susceptibility for diamagnets has a minimal negative value of 10-5–10-6. Since...
When diamagnetic materials are placed under an external magnetic field, the moments opposite to the field are induced. Hence, the susceptibility for diamagnets has a minimal negative value of 10-5–10-6. Since...
2.4K
01:31Factors Affecting Renal Clearance: Drug's Physicochemical Properties and Plasma Levels
601
Renal clearance of a drug is influenced by various factors, including its physicochemical properties and plasma levels. These factors play a significant role in determining how efficiently the kidneys eliminate a drug.
One important factor is the drug's molecular size. The kidneys readily excrete smaller molecules below 300 Daltons (Da). On the other hand, molecules weighing between 300 and 500 Da are excreted through both urine and bile. Larger molecules above 500 Da tend to be excreted...
One important factor is the drug's molecular size. The kidneys readily excrete smaller molecules below 300 Daltons (Da). On the other hand, molecules weighing between 300 and 500 Da are excreted through both urine and bile. Larger molecules above 500 Da tend to be excreted...
601
01:21Association Areas of the Cortex
9.4K
Association areas are regions of the cerebral cortex that do not have a specific sensory or motor function. Instead, they integrate and interpret information from various sources to enable higher cognitive processes such as memory, learning, and decision-making. Some key association areas include the following:
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
Prefrontal Association Area: This area is located in the frontal lobe and is involved in planning, decision-making, and moderating social behavior. It connects with primary motor areas,...
9.4K
01:27Associative Learning
1.3K
Associative learning is a fundamental concept in behavioral psychology, wherein a connection is established between two stimuli or events, leading to a learned response. This process is critical in understanding how behaviors are acquired and modified. Conditioning, the mechanism through which associations are formed, can be divided into two main types: classical conditioning and operant conditioning, each elucidating different aspects of associative learning.
Classical conditioning, also known...
Classical conditioning, also known...
1.3K