title: Chemokines responses to Plasmodium falciparum malaria and co-infections among rural Cameroonians.
abstract: Malaria remains the major cause of disease morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa with complex immune responses associated with disease outcomes. Symptoms associated with severe malaria have generally shown chemokine upregulation but little is known of responses to uncomplicated malaria. Eight villages in central Cameroon of 1045 volunteers were screened. Among these, malaria-positive individuals with some healthy controls were selected for chemokine analysis using Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) kits. Depressed serum levels of CXCL5 and raised CCL28 were observed in malarial positives when compared with healthy controls. The mean concentration of CXCL11 was higher in symptomatic than asymptomatic group, while CCL28 was lower in symptomatic individuals. Lower chemokine levels were associated with symptoms of uncomplicated malaria except for CXCL11 which was upregulated among fever-positive group. The mean CXCL5 level was higher in malaria sole infection than co-infections with HIV and Loa loa. Also, there was a raised mean level of malaria+HIV co-infection for CXCL9. This study hypothesises a situation where depressed chemokines in the face of clinical presentations could indicate an attempt by the immune system in preventing a progression process from uncomplicated to complicated outcomes with CXCL11 being identified as possible biomarker for malarial fever.
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria; Centre for the Diagnosis and Control of Tropical Disease, Nkolbisson, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Jane Nchangnwi
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Che
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Onyebiguwa Patrick Goddey
authors.initials: OP
authors.lastname: Nmorsi
authors.affiliation: Centre for the Diagnosis and Control of Tropical Disease, Nkolbisson, Yaounde, Cameroon.
authors.forename: Baleguel Pierre
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Nkot
authors.affiliation: Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Zoology, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Nigeria. Electronic address: clementisaac@aauekpoma.edu.ng.
authors.forename: Clement
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Isaac
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Central Hospital, Agbor, Nigeria.
authors.forename: Browne Chukwudi
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Okonkwo
mesh_terms: D002163:Cameroon / Q000453:epidemiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D018925:Chemokines / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D060085:Coinfection; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000469:parasitology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D018925:Chemokines
keywords: Cameroon; Chemokines; Co-infections; Symptoms; Uncomplicated malaria