Background: Regular anti-malarial therapy in pregnancy, a pillar of malaria control, may affect malaria immunity, with therapeutic implications in regions of reducing transmission. Methods: Plasma antibodies to leading vaccine candidate merozoite antigens and opsonizing antibodies to endothelial-binding and placental-binding infected erythrocytes were quantified in pregnant Melanesian women receiving sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) with chloroquine taken once, or three courses of SP with azithromycin. Results: Malaria prevalence was low. Between enrolment and delivery, antibodies to recombinant antigens declined in both groups (p < 0.0001). In contrast, median levels of opsonizing antibodies did not change, although levels for some individuals changed significantly. In multivariate analysis, the malaria prevention regimen did not influence antibody levels. Conclusion: Different preventive anti-malarial chemotherapy regimens used during pregnancy had limited impact on malarial-immunity in a low-transmission region of Papua New Guinea. Trial registrations: NCT01136850.
CITATION STYLE
Teo, A., Hasang, W., Randall, L. M., Unger, H. W., Siba, P. M., Mueller, I., … Rogerson, S. J. (2015). Malaria preventive therapy in pregnancy and its potential impact on immunity to malaria in an area of declining transmission. Malaria Journal, 14(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-015-0736-x
Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.