title: Antibodies to Plasmodium vivax apical membrane antigen 1: persistence and correlation with malaria transmission intensity.
abstract: The antibody responses to the apical membrane antigen 1 of the Plasmodium vivax (PvAMA-1) were investigated in subjects living in areas of Brazil with different levels of malaria transmission. The prevalence and the levels of IgG to PvAMA-1 increased with the time of exposure. The frequency of a positive response and the mean IgG level were higher in areas where malaria prevalence was more intense, especially among non-infected subjects exposed to moderate transmission over a period of 20 years. The proportions and levels of IgG1and IgG3 isotypes were significantly higher among those subjects with long-term exposure. Antibodies, mainly IgG1, to PvAMA-1 persisted for seven years among subjects briefly exposed to malaria in an outbreak outside the Brazilian malaria-endemic area. These data show the highly immunogenic properties of PvAMA-1 and emphasize its possible use as a malaria vaccine candidate.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
authors.forename: Cristiane G
authors.initials: CG
authors.lastname: Morais
authors.forename: Irene S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Soares
authors.forename: Luzia H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Cor J F
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Fontes
authors.forename: Antoniana U
authors.initials: AU
authors.lastname: Krettli
authors.forename: Erika M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Braga
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000276:immunology*; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000145:classification; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology / Q000635:transmission*; D008297:Male; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000276:immunology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000276:immunology*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D007074:Immunoglobulin G; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C090077:apical membrane antigen I, Plasmodium