Insecticide-treated bed nets reduce plasma antibody levels and limit the repertoire of antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum variant surface antigens

TY - JOUR

T1 - Insecticide-treated bed nets reduce plasma antibody levels and limit the repertoire of antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum variant surface antigens

AU - Askjaer, N

AU - Maxwell, C

AU - Chambo, W

AU - Staalsoe, T

AU - Nielsen, Morten Agertoug

AU - Hviid, L

AU - Curtis, C

AU - Theander, T G

N1 - Keywords: Antibodies, Protozoan; Antigens, Protozoan; Antigens, Surface; Beds; Child; Child, Preschool; Humans; Immune System; Insecticides; Malaria, Falciparum

PY - 2001

Y1 - 2001

N2 - The use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITN) has been documented to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality in areas with endemic malaria, but concerns have been raised that ITN usage could affect the acquisition of malaria immunity. Several lines of evidence have indicated that antibodies against variant surface antigens (VSA) are important in the development of naturally acquired immunity to Plasmodium falciparum malaria and may thus be good indicators of immune status. We have compared the levels of VSA antibodies in plasma from children who have used ITN for 4 years to levels in plasma from children from a nearby village not using ITN. A total of 97 plasma samples were analyzed using 13 different P. falciparum isolates. We found that the children using ITN had significantly lower VSA antibody levels and recognized a smaller proportion of the VSA expressed by the tested parasite isolates than children not using ITN.

AB - The use of insecticide-treated bed nets (ITN) has been documented to reduce malaria morbidity and mortality in areas with endemic malaria, but concerns have been raised that ITN usage could affect the acquisition of malaria immunity. Several lines of evidence have indicated that antibodies against variant surface antigens (VSA) are important in the development of naturally acquired immunity to Plasmodium falciparum malaria and may thus be good indicators of immune status. We have compared the levels of VSA antibodies in plasma from children who have used ITN for 4 years to levels in plasma from children from a nearby village not using ITN. A total of 97 plasma samples were analyzed using 13 different P. falciparum isolates. We found that the children using ITN had significantly lower VSA antibody levels and recognized a smaller proportion of the VSA expressed by the tested parasite isolates than children not using ITN.

U2 - 10.1128/CDLI.8.6.1289-1291.2001

DO - 10.1128/CDLI.8.6.1289-1291.2001

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 11687480

SN - 1556-6811

VL - 8

SP - 1289

EP - 1291

JO - Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology

JF - Clinical and Diagnostic Laboratory Immunology

IS - 6

ER -