title: Association of haptoglobin levels with age, parasite density, and haptoglobin genotype in a malaria-endemic area of Gabon.
abstract: Haptoglobin (Hp) levels were investigated in relation to host genotype in a malaria-endemic area in Gabon. A cross-sectional study of 1-12-year-old children was conducted in the rainy season, a period of high malaria transmission, to examine this relationship. Variables that influenced Hp levels were Hp genotype, location, and age interacting with parasite density. At low parasite densities, there was a negative correlation between Hp levels and age. At higher densities, there was a positive correlation with age. This suggests that in the presence of greater parasite-induced hemolysis, older children are capable of increased production of Hp. Sickle cell trait and ABO blood group was not associated with Hp levels in this population.
authors.affiliation: Peter Medawar Building for Pathogen Research and Department of Zoology, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom. freya.fowkes@med.nyu.edu
authors.forename: Freya J I
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Fowkes
authors.forename: Heather
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Imrie
authors.forename: Florence
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Migot-Nabias
authors.forename: Pascal
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Michon
authors.forename: Anita
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Justice
authors.forename: Phillipe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Deloron
authors.forename: Adrian J F
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Luty
authors.forename: Karen P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Day
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood*; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D005838:Genotype; D006242:Haptoglobins / Q000032:analysis* / Q000235:genetics*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008288:Malaria / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D018512:Parasitemia / Q000097:blood*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010965:Plasmodium malariae / Q000302:isolation & purification; D012805:Sickle Cell Trait / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D006242:Haptoglobins