Immunity to the sexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum in mothers, neonates and infants subject to intense and perennial malarial transmission
Akim, N.I.J.; Urassa, H.; Drakeley, C.J.; Sauerwein, R.W.; Kitua, A.Y.
Annals of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology 96(7): 735-737
2003
ISSN/ISBN: 0003-4983 PMID: 12537635 DOI: 10.1179/000349802125001861Document Number: 236724
A study was conducted to examine the presence and development of transmission-blocking immunity (TBI) during the first 12 months of life in infants living in Ifakara, Tanzania. Multiparous mothers and their newborn infants were enrolled at the Saint Francis Designated District Hospital (SFDDH). Children aged 4, 8, and 12 months were enrolled during their routine visits to the SFDDH's maternal-and-child-health clinic. The seroprevalence of antibodies to fixed gametocytes or live gametes was similar in the mothers, newborns, and 4-, 8- and 12-month-old infants. The seroprevalences of antibodies against Pfs48/45 and Pfs230 showed considerable fluctuation between birth and the age of 12 months. The seroprevalence of IgG1 to Pfs48/45 fell to zero at the age of 8 months and then rose to 19% at 12 months. >75% of the sera collected were each able to reduce gametocyte infectivity to mosquitoes by >30%. These results indicate that antibodies to the sexual stages are transferred from mother to child, in a similar manner to antibodies to the asexual stages.