Limited influence of haemoglobin variants on Plasmodium falciparum msp1 and msp2 alleles in symptomatic malaria.
Haemoglobin (Hb) S, HbC, and alpha(+)-thalassaemia confer protection from malaria. Accordingly, these traits may influence the multiplicity of infection (MOI) of Plasmodium falciparum and the presence of distinct parasite genotypes. In 840 febrile children in northern Ghana, we typed the P. falciparum merozoite surface protein genes (msp1, msp2) and examined effects of the Hb variants on MOI and parasite diversity. HbAC, HbAS, heterozygous, and homozygous alpha(+)-thalassaemia occurred in 21, 5, 29 and 4% of the children, respectively. Plasmodium falciparum was detected in 95%. The haemoglobinopathies did not influence MOI, nor did the Hb type bias the distribution of the msp allelic families. However, IC type parasites were most common among patients with homozygous alpha(+)-thalassaemia (93%), less frequent in heterozygotes (89%), and least frequent in alpha-globin normal children (84%, P(chi2 trend) = 0.03). The opposite was seen for Mad20 type parasites (34%, 47%, 53%, P(chi2 trend) = 0.02). Only a few of the 72 individual msp alleles were selected by the haemoglobinopathies. HbC and alpha(+)-thalassaemia are frequent in northern Ghana. In symptomatic children, the effect of Hb variants on parasite multiplicity and diversity appears to be limited. This may reflect an actual lack of influence or indicate abrogation in symptomatic malaria.
Mockenhaupt
Frank P
FP
Institut fuer Tropenmedizin, Charité, Humboldt Universitaet, Spandauer Damm 130, 14050 Berlin, Germany. frank.mockenhaupt@charite.de
Ehrhardt
Stephan
S
Otchwemah
Rowland
R
Eggelte
Teunis A
TA
Anemana
Sylvester D
SD
Stark
Klaus
K
Bienzle
Ulrich
U
Kohne
Elisabeth
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000483:Alleles; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications; D000818:Animals; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics*; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006445:Hemoglobin C Disease / Q000150:complications; D006453:Hemoglobinopathies / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics*; D017085:alpha-Thalassemia / Q000150:complications
D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C065974:merozoite surface protein 2, Plasmodium