title: Placental antibody transfer: influence of maternal HIV infection and placental malaria.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the influence of placental malaria, maternal HIV infection, and maternal hypergammaglobulinaemia on transplacental IgG antibody transfer.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and eighty materno-neonatal pairs from a Malawian population were assessed. Cord and maternal serum samples were tested for total serum IgG antibody titres using nephelometry, and for specific IgG antibody titres to Streptococcus pneumoniae, measles, and tetanus toxoid antibodies using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Multiple regression analyses showed that placental malaria was associated with a decrease in placental IgG antibody transfer to S pneumoniae and measles to 82% and 81%, respectively. Maternal HIV infection was associated with a reduction in IgG antibody transfer to S pneumoniae to 79%; raised maternal total serum IgG titres were correlated with S pneumoniae and measles IgG antibody transfer reduction to 86% and 87%, respectively. No effect was seen with tetanus toxoid antibody transfer.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combined influence of placental malaria, maternal HIV infection, and maternal hypergammaglobulinaemia seems to be linked to the low transplacental antibody transfer observed in the Malawian population.
authors: Department of Medical Microbiology, University of Liverpool.
authors: M I
authors: MI
authors: de Moraes-Pinto
authors: F
authors: F
authors: Verhoeff
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Chimsuku
authors: P J
authors: PJ
authors: Milligan
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Wesumperuma
authors: R L
authors: RL
authors: Broadhead
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Brabin
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Johnson
authors: C A
authors: CA
authors: Hart
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000378:metabolism; D000914:Antibodies, Viral / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000276:immunology*; D007112:Immunity, Maternally-Acquired; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000378:metabolism; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D008295:Malawi; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D008457:Measles / Q000276:immunology; D010920:Placenta / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology / Q000821:virology; D011247:Pregnancy; D013296:Streptococcus pneumoniae / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000914:Antibodies, Viral; D007074:Immunoglobulin G