TY - JOUR

T1 - Development of immunity against Plasmodium falciparum malaria

T2 - clinical and parasitologic immunity cannot be separated

AU - Petersen, E

AU - Høgh, B

AU - Marbiah, N T

AU - David, K

AU - Hanson, A P

PY - 1991/11

Y1 - 1991/11

N2 - A total of 1622 individuals of all ages living under conditions of continuous malarial transmission in Liberia were enrolled in a cross-sectional study of parasite rates, positive parasite densities, and body temperatures. The age-specific Plasmodium falciparum-positive parasite densities were greatest at ages 0.5-1.0 year, then slowly declined into adulthood. The age-specific mean body temperature at parasite isodensity showed a steady decline even in the oldest age group. The results do not support the hypothesis that adults have higher body temperatures at a given parasite density than do children with the same parasite density. The age-specific P. falciparum parasite density for specific isotemperatures showed that a subgroup of children in the age group 0.5-1.0 year had low temperatures (less than 36.5 degrees C) despite high parasite densities. This indicates that low body temperature should be investigated further as a possible indicator of serious malaria in young children. Parasitologic and clinical immunity develops concomitantly and cannot be separated. The findings do not support the hypothesis that a special "anti-disease" immunity exists independently of parasitologic immunity.

AB - A total of 1622 individuals of all ages living under conditions of continuous malarial transmission in Liberia were enrolled in a cross-sectional study of parasite rates, positive parasite densities, and body temperatures. The age-specific Plasmodium falciparum-positive parasite densities were greatest at ages 0.5-1.0 year, then slowly declined into adulthood. The age-specific mean body temperature at parasite isodensity showed a steady decline even in the oldest age group. The results do not support the hypothesis that adults have higher body temperatures at a given parasite density than do children with the same parasite density. The age-specific P. falciparum parasite density for specific isotemperatures showed that a subgroup of children in the age group 0.5-1.0 year had low temperatures (less than 36.5 degrees C) despite high parasite densities. This indicates that low body temperature should be investigated further as a possible indicator of serious malaria in young children. Parasitologic and clinical immunity develops concomitantly and cannot be separated. The findings do not support the hypothesis that a special "anti-disease" immunity exists independently of parasitologic immunity.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Age Factors

KW - Animals

KW - Body Temperature

KW - Child

KW - Child, Preschool

KW - Cross-Sectional Studies

KW - Female

KW - Humans

KW - Infant

KW - Malaria, Falciparum/immunology

KW - Male

KW - Plasmodium falciparum/growth & development

KW - Pregnancy

KW - Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/immunology

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 1940474

VL - 164

SP - 949

EP - 953

JO - Journal of Infectious Diseases

JF - Journal of Infectious Diseases

SN - 0022-1899

IS - 5

ER -