Coinfection with Plasmodium falciparum and schistosoma haematobium: protective effect of schistosomiasis on malaria in senegalese children?
Studies with animal models have suggested the possibility of interactions between parasites during concurrent infections and have raised the question of a similar phenomenon in humans. The present survey was undertaken to assess the impact of urinary schistosomiasis on the susceptibility of children to malaria. It was carried out in Senegal between September 2001 and March 2002 among 523 children 3-15 years of age. We tested the association between Plasmodium falciparum densities and the load of Schistosoma haematobium egg excretion using a linear mixed model because data were not independent. After controlling for age, sex, and season, we showed that children lightly infected with S. haematobium (1-9 eggs/10 mL of urine) had lower P. falciparum densities than those not infected (beta = -0.34, 95% confidence interval = -0.85, -0.10), suggesting a negative interaction between both parasites.
Briand
Valérie
V
Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Unité de Recherche Santé de la Mère et d'Enfant en Milieu Tropical, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université Paris V, Paris, France. vale.briand@laposte.net
Watier
Laurence
L
LE Hesran
Jean-Yves
JY
Garcia
André
A
Cot
Michel
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000502:physiology*; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000502:physiology*; D012552:Schistosomiasis / Q000150:complications* / Q000469:parasitology