Schistosomiasis co-infection in humans influences inflammatory markers in uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria.
Malaria and schistosomiasis are the two major parasite diseases present in developing countries. The epidemiological co-infection with schistosomiasis could influence the development of the physiological reaction associated with Plasmodium falciparum infection in human. Most studies have demonstrated the association of circulating levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumour necrosis factor-a (TNF-alpha), interleukin-10 (IL-10), transforming growth factor (TGF-beta) and soluble Tumour Necrosis Factor Receptors (sTNF-RI and sTNF-RII) with the morbidity of malaria. In the present study, we showed that Schistosoma haematobium co-infection influences, in an age-dependent manner, the unbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory circulating cytokines that play a key role during malaria infection. Indeed, children co-infected by S. haematobium have higher levels of IFN-gamma and sTNF-RII than children infected only by P. falciparum. In contrast, co-infected adults presented a significant increase of IFN-gamma, IL-10, TGF-beta, sTNF-RI and sTNF-RII rates and IL-10/TNF-alpha ratio. Taken together, this study indicates that schistosomiasis co-infection can unbalance the regulation of inflammatory factors in uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria. The possible consequences of the schistosomiasis co-infection for age-dependent malaria morbidity are discussed.
Diallo
T O
TO
INSERM Unité 547, Institut Pasteur de Lille, 1 Rue du Prof Calmette, F-59019 Lille Cedex, France.
Remoue
F
F
Schacht
A M
AM
Charrier
N
N
Dompnier
J-P
JP
Pillet
S
S
Garraud
O
O
N'diaye
A A
AA
Capron
A
A
Capron
M
M
Riveau
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D016207:Cytokines / Q000097:blood; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D010270:Parasite Egg Count; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000469:parasitology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000276:immunology*; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology; D012675:Senegal / Q000453:epidemiology; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
D016207:Cytokines