Associations Between Helminth Infections, Plasmodium falciparum Parasite Carriage and Antibody Responses to Sexual and Asexual Stage Malarial Antigens.
Infections with helminths and Plasmodium spp. overlap in their geographical distribution. It has been postulated that helminth infections may influence malarial transmission by altering Plasmodium falciparum gametocytogenesis. This cross-sectional study assessed the effect of helminth infections on P. falciparum gametocyte carriage and on humoral immune responses to sexual stage antigens in Gabon. Schistosoma haematobium and filarial infections as well as P. falciparum asexual forms and gametocyte carriage were determined. The antibody responses measured were to sexual (Pfs230, Pfs48/45) and asexual P. falciparum antigens (AMA1, MSP1, and GLURP). A total of 287 subjects were included. The prevalence of microscopically detectable P. falciparum asexual parasites was higher in S. haematobium-infected subjects in comparison to their uninfected counterparts (47% versus 26%, P = 0.003), but this was not different when filarial infections were considered. Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte carriage was similar between Schistosoma- or filaria-infected and uninfected subjects. We observed a significant decrease of Pfs48/45 immunoglobulin G titer in S. haematobium-infected subjects (P = 0.037), whereas no difference was seen for Pfs230 antibody titer, nor for antibodies to AMA1, MSP1, or GLURP. Our findings suggest an effect of S. haematobium on antibody responses to some P. falciparum gametocyte antigens that may have consequences for transmission-blocking immunity.
Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon. u.ateba_ngoa@lumc.nl.
Ulysse
U
Ateba-Ngoa
Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
Sophie
S
Jones
Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon.
Jeannot Fréjus
JF
Zinsou
Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon.
Josiane
J
Honkpehedji
Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands. Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon.
Ayola Akim
AA
Adegnika
Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon.
Jean-Claude Dejon
JC
Agobe
Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon.
Marguerite
M
Massinga-Loembe
Institut für Tropenmedizin, Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon.
Benjamin
B
Mordmüller
Department of Immunology and Infection, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom. Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
Teun
T
Bousema
Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Maria
M
Yazdanbakhsh
D000293:Adolescent; D000818:Animals; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D002648:Child; D060085:Coinfection; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005681:Gabon / Q000453:epidemiology; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D056724:Immunity, Humoral; D008018:Life Cycle Stages / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology*; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology; D008297:Male; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D008565:Membrane Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1 / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology; D012548:Schistosoma haematobium / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development / Q000276:immunology*; D012553:Schistosomiasis haematobia / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000276:immunology* / Q000469:parasitology
D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D020066:Merozoite Surface Protein 1; C430263:Pfs230 antigen, Plasmodium falciparum; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; C090077:apical membrane antigen I, Plasmodium; C084847:pfs48-45 protein, Plasmodium falciparum; C072492:glutamate-rich protein, Plasmodium