Use of mosquito preventive measures is associated with increased RBC CR1 levels in a malaria holoendemic area of western Kenya.
Malaria is responsible for close to 1 million deaths each year, mostly among African children. Red blood cells (RBCs) of children with severe malarial anemia show loss of complement regulatory proteins such as complement receptor 1 (CR1). We carried out this study to identify socio-economic, environmental, and biological factors associated with the loss of RBC CR1. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a malaria holoendemic area of western Kenya. Twelve socioeconomic, environmental, and biological factors were examined for a relationship with RBC CR1 level using bivariate linear regression followed by creation of a multivariate linear regression model. A significant positive relationship between RBC CR1 level and use of mosquito countermeasures was found. However, there was no evidence of a significant relationship between RBC CR1 level and malaria infection or parasitemia level. Reducing mosquito exposure may aid in the prevention of severe malarial anemia by reducing the number of infections and thus preserving RBC CR1.
Department of Public Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania; The Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Christine
C
King
Department of Public Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania; The Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Ping
P
Du
Department of Public Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania; The Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya.
Walter
W
Otieno
Department of Public Health Sciences, Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Epidemiology, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, Pennsylvania; The Kenya Medical Research Institute, Nairobi, Kenya jstoute@psu.edu.
José A
JA
Stoute
D000818:Animals; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007303:Insect Vectors; D007630:Kenya / Q000453:epidemiology; D008288:Malaria / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000635:transmission; D008297:Male; D009032:Mosquito Control; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b / Q000097:blood*
C509991:CR1 protein, human; D017463:Receptors, Complement 3b