title: Assessment of the effect of Schistosoma haematobium co infection on malaria parasites and immune responses in rural populations in Gabon: study protocol.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Malaria and helminth co infection are common in tropical and subtropical areas where they affect the life of millions of people. While both helminth and malaria parasites have immunomodulatory activities, little is known about the consequence of co-infections on malaria antigen specific immune responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study will be conducted in two rural areas of the Moyen Ogooué province in Gabon, endemic for both Plasmodium falciparum and Schistosoma haematobium infections. Participants, 5 to 50 years old, will be enrolled and grouped according to their infection status. S. haematobium and malaria parasites will be detected, demographic and clinical data will be recorded and blood will be collected for hematological as well as for immunological assays. The level of antibody specific to Plasmodium falciparum blood stage and gametocyte antigens will be measured using ELISA. PBMC will be isolated for phenotyping of different T cell subsets ex vivo by flow cytometry and for culture and cytokine response assessment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We will provide a comprehensive picture of the interaction between schistosomes and malaria parasites which co-localize in peripheral blood. We will test the hypothesis that schistosome infection has an impact on specific humoral as well as on cellular immune responses to malaria antigens.
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany ; Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ulysse
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ateba Ngoa
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jeannot Fréjus
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Zinsou
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Roland Fabrice Kassa
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Kassa
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Eliane
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ngoune Feugap
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Yabo Josiane
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Honkpehedji
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany ; Faculté de Médecine, Université des Sciences de la Santé de Libreville, BP: 4009, Libreville, Gabon.
authors.forename: Marguerite
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Massinga-Loembe
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Hilaire
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kenguele Moundounga
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Anne Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Nkoma Mouima
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Lima Honorine
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Mbenkep
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Linda Judith
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Wammes
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands ; Immunology Unit of the Laboratory of Bacteriology and Virology of Aristide Le Dantec Teaching Hospital, 30 Avenue Pasteur, BP 7325, Dakar, Senegal ; Institute of Tropical Medicine of Antwerp, Nationalestraat 155, 2000 Antwerp, Belgium.
authors.forename: Moustapha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mbow
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kruize
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany ; Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands ; Faculté de Médecine, Université des Sciences de la Santé de Libreville, BP: 4009, Libreville, Gabon.
authors.forename: Ghyslain
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mombo-Ngoma
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Aurore Larissa
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Bouyoukou Hounkpatin
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Jean Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Dejon Agobe
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Issifou
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Saadou
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Bertrand
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Lell
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Hermelijn
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Smits
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter Gottfried
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Kremsner
authors.affiliation: Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yazdanbakhsh
authors.affiliation: Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, BP: 118, Lambaréné, Gabon ; Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraβe 27, D-72074 Tübingen, Germany ; Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Ayola Akim
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adegnika
keywords: Africa; Cellular immune response; Co-infection; Epidemiology; Gabon; Helminths; Malaria; Study protocols