title: Immunity in malaria: depression of delayed hypersensitivity reaction in acute Plasmodium falciparum infection.
abstract: The effect of acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria infection on the cell-mediated immune response of 30 Nigerian children attending the General Out-patient (GOP) Clinic of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria, was assessed in a controlled study. Delayed-type hypersensitivity skin reaction to five tuberculin units (5 TU) of purified protein derivative (PPD) was used as an indicator of cell-mediated immunity. The results showed marked depression of delayed hypersensitivity reaction to PPD in 27 (90%) of the malarious children, compared with four (16%) of the 25 control healthy subjects (P less than 0.0005). This depression was observed despite evidence of previous BCG vaccination in 38 (69.1%) of the 55 children in the study. The possible clinical significance of these observations in tropical paediatric practice, and the immunopathological implications, are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Child Health, College of Medicine, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O A
authors.initials: OA
authors.lastname: Akinwolere
authors.forename: A I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: F M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Akinkugbe
authors.forename: A A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Laditan
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D006801:Humans; D006968:Hypersensitivity, Delayed / Q000276:immunology*; D007223:Infant; D008288:Malaria / Q000276:immunology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum