| Abstract: | Anti-glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) antibodies (Abs) may reflect and mediate,
at least partially, anti-disease immunity in malaria by neutralising the toxic
effect of parasitic GPI. Thus, we assessed the anti-GPI Ab response in
asymptomatic individuals living in an area of the Brazilian Amazon that has a
high level of malaria transmission. For comparative purposes, we also
investigated the Ab response to a crude extract prepared from Plasmodium
falciparum, the merozoite surface protein (MSP)3 antigen of
P. falciparum and the MSP 1 antigen of Plasmodium
vivax (PvMSP1-19) in these individuals and in Angolan
patients with acute malaria. Our data suggest that the Ab response against
P. falciparum GPI is not associated with P.
falciparum asymptomatic infection in individuals who have been
chronically exposed to malaria in the Brazilian Amazon. However, this Ab
response could be related to ongoing parasitaemia (as was previously shown) in
the Angolan patients. In addition, our data show that PvMSP1-19may be
a good marker antigen to reflect previous exposure to
Plasmodium in areas that have a high transmission rate of
P. vivax. |
