Late onset of the serological response against the 18 kDa small heat shock protein of Mycobacterium ulcerans in children.
A previous survey for clinical cases of Buruli ulcer (BU) in the Mapé Basin of Cameroon suggested that, compared to older age groups, very young children may be less exposed to Mycobacterium ulcerans. Here we determined serum IgG titres against the 18 kDa small heat shock protein (shsp) of M. ulcerans in 875 individuals living in the BU endemic river basins of the Mapé in Cameroon and the Densu in Ghana. While none of the sera collected from children below the age of four contained significant amounts of 18 kDa shsp specific antibodies, the majority of sera had high IgG titres against the Plasmodium falciparum merozoite surface protein 1 (MSP-1). These data suggest that exposure to M. ulcerans increases at an age which coincides with the children moving further away from their homes and having more intense environmental contact, including exposure to water bodies at the periphery of their villages.
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Molecular Immunology, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Katharina
K
Röltgen
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Molecular Immunology, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Martin W
MW
Bratschi
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Molecular Immunology, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Amanda
A
Ross
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Samuel Y
SY
Aboagye
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Kobina A
KA
Ampah
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Molecular Immunology, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Miriam
M
Bolz
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Molecular Immunology, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Arianna
A
Andreoli
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Molecular Immunology, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
James
J
Pritchard
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Molecular Immunology, Basel, Switzerland; FAIRMED, Yaoundé, Cameron.
Jacques C
JC
Minyem
Bankim District Hospital, Bankim, Cameroon.
Djeunga
D
Noumen
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Eric
E
Koka
FAIRMED, Yaoundé, Cameron.
Alphonse
A
Um Boock
Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana.
Dorothy
D
Yeboah-Manu
Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Molecular Immunology, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Gerd
G
Pluschke
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial / Q000276:immunology*; D001426:Bacterial Proteins / Q000276:immunology; D054312:Buruli Ulcer / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology*; D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019353:Endemic Diseases; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana / Q000453:epidemiology; D050888:Heat-Shock Proteins, Small / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007074:Immunoglobulin G / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D019911:Mycobacterium ulcerans / Q000276:immunology*; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D055815:Young Adult
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D000942:Antigens, Bacterial; D001426:Bacterial Proteins; D050888:Heat-Shock Proteins, Small; D007074:Immunoglobulin G