title: Antibody responses to Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax blood-stage and sporozoite antigens in the postpartum period.
abstract: During pregnancy a variety of immunological changes occur to accommodate the fetus. It is unknown whether these changes continue to affect humoral immunity postpartum or how quickly they resolve. IgG levels were measured to P. falciparum and P. vivax antigens in 201 postpartum and 201 controls over 12 weeks. Linear mixed-effects models assessed antibody maintenance over time and the effect of microscopically confirmed Plasmodium spp. infection on antibody levels, and whether this was different in postpartum women compared with control women. Postpartum women had reduced Plasmodium spp. antibody levels compared to controls at baseline. Over 12 weeks, mean antibody levels in postpartum women increased to levels observed in control women. Microscopically confirmed P. falciparum and P. vivax infections during follow-up were associated with an increase in species-specific antibodies with similar magnitudes of boosting observed in postpartum and control women. Antibodies specific for pregnancy-associated, VAR2CSA-expressing parasites did not rapidly decline postpartum and did not boost in response to infection in either postpartum or control women. After pregnancy, levels of malaria-specific antibodies were reduced, but recovered to levels seen in control women. There was no evidence of an impaired ability to mount a boosting response in postpartum women.
authors: Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3004, Australia.|Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
authors: Alistair R D
authors: AR
authors: McLean
authors: Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU), Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot 63110, Thailand.
authors: Machteld E
authors: ME
authors: Boel
authors: Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU), Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot 63110, Thailand.|Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK.
authors: Rose
authors: R
authors: McGready
authors: Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
authors: Ricardo
authors: R
authors: Ataide
authors: Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
authors: Damien
authors: D
authors: Drew
authors: Division of Malaria Research, Proteo-Science Center, Ehime University, Matsuyuma 790-8577, Japan.
authors: Takafumi
authors: T
authors: Tsuboi
authors: Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3004, Australia.|Department of Microbiology, Monash University 3800, Australia.
authors: James G
authors: JG
authors: Beeson
authors: Shoklo Malaria Research Unit (SMRU), Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Mae Sot 63110, Thailand.|Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK.
authors: François
authors: F
authors: Nosten
authors: Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3004, Australia.
authors: Julie A
authors: JA
authors: Simpson
authors: Macfarlane Burnet Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne 3004, Australia.|Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Melbourne School of Population and Global Health, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne 3004, Australia.|Department of Epidemiology and Preventative Medicine, Monash University 3800, Victoria, Australia.
authors: Freya J I
authors: FJ
authors: Fowkes
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007106:Immune Sera; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D016780:Malaria, Vivax / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology*; D010966:Plasmodium vivax / Q000276:immunology*; D049590:Postpartum Period / Q000276:immunology*; D013785:Thailand
chemical_list: D000913:Antibodies, Protozoan; D000953:Antigens, Protozoan; D007106:Immune Sera