Published in:
Open Access
01-12-2010 | Research
Immunological consequences of intermittent preventive treatment against malaria in Senegalese preschool children
Authors:
Denis Boulanger, Jean Biram Sarr, Florie Fillol, Cheikh Sokhna, Badara Cisse, Anne-Marie Schacht, Jean-François Trape, Gilles Riveau, François Simondon, Brian Greenwood, Franck Remoué
Published in:
Malaria Journal
|
Issue 1/2010
Login to get access
Abstract
Background
Intermittent preventive treatment in children (IPTc) is a promising strategy to control malaria morbidity. A significant concern is whether IPTc increases children's susceptibility to subsequent malaria infection by altering their anti-Plasmodium acquired immunity.
Methods
To investigate this concern, IgG antibody (Ab) responses to Plasmodium falciparum schizont extract were measured in Senegalese children (6 months-5 years old) who had received three rounds of IPTc with artesunate + sulphadoxine-pyrimethamine (or placebo) at monthly intervals eight months earlier. Potential confounding factors, such as asexual malaria parasitaemia and nutritional status were also evaluated.
Results
Firstly, a bivariate analysis showed that children who had received IPTc had lower anti-Plasmodium IgG Ab levels than the non-treated controls. When epidemiological parameters were incorporated into a multivariate regression, gender, nutritional status and haemoglobin concentration did not have any significant influence. In contrast, parasitaemia, past malaria morbidity and increasing age were strongly associated with a higher specific IgG response.
Conclusions
The intensity of the contacts with P. falciparum seems to represent the main factor influencing anti-schizont IgG responses. Previous IPTc does not seem to interfere with this parasite-dependent acquired humoral response eight months after the last drug administration.