Immunological Aspects of a Population under Prophylaxis Against Malaria

Abstract

The study describes an investigation, in a hyperendemic falciparum malaria area, into the effects of antimalarial treatment on levels of circulating malaria antibody in a group of women and their children. Weekly Daraprim (pyrimethamine) was used to suppress malaria in the experimental group. The indirect fluorescent antibody test was used to measure levels of malarial antibody. None of the protected children had detectable malarial antibody, in contrast to the unprotected group, nearly all of whom had detectable antibody. The average titre of the protected mothers was much lower than that of the unprotected group. It is concluded that repeated and frequent infection is necessary to maintain malarial antibody at a high level. © 1964, British Medical Journal Publishing Group. All rights reserved.