Dynamics of Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte carriage in pregnant women under intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine–pyrimethamine in Benin
Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, in particular in children and pregnant women. During pregnancy, Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells expressing VAR2CSA are selected from circulation by selective cytoadherence to chondroitin su...
| Published in: | Malaria Journal |
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| Main Authors: | , , , , |
| Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
BMC
2018
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12936-018-2498-8 https://doaj.org/article/c85762f97ff64853baa33f60f8d132be |
| Summary: | Abstract Background In sub-Saharan Africa, malaria is a major cause of morbidity and mortality, in particular in children and pregnant women. During pregnancy, Plasmodium falciparum infected red blood cells expressing VAR2CSA are selected from circulation by selective cytoadherence to chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan receptors expressed in the placenta, leading to an increased susceptibility to malaria, long-lasting infections and poor pregnancy outcome. Partly because of these long-lasting infections, women were reported to have a higher density of gametocytes in their peripheral blood, and are considered as a potential reservoir for malaria transmission. To improve pregnancy outcome in areas of high malaria transmission, The WHO recommends intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine (IPTp-SP) during antenatal care visits. The effect of IPTp-SP on gametocyte carriage in infected pregnant women was studied. Methods The levels of transcription of three gametocytes stage-specific genes Pfs16 (expressed by sexually-committed ring stage parasites and fully matured gametocytes), Pfs25 (expressed by female mature gametocytes) and Pfs230 (expressed by male mature gametocytes) were assessed by real-time PCR in 50 P. falciparum infected women at early pregnancy (before implementation of IPTp-SP), and in 50 infected women at delivery. Sex ratios of male and female gametocytes were determined in these women to assess the effect of IPTp-SP on the gametocyte populations. Results The data show that the three transcript types specific to Pfs16, Pfs25 and Pfs230 were detected in all samples, both at inclusion and delivery. Levels of Pfs25 and Pfs230 transcripts were higher at delivery than at inclusion (p = 0.042 and p = 0.003), while the opposite was observed for Pfs16 (p = 0.048). The ratio of male/female gametocyte transcript levels was higher at delivery than at inclusion (p = 0.018). Since a mixed gender late stage gametocyte culture was used as a positive control, male and female gametocytes could not ... |
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