New! Sign up for our free email newsletter.
Science News
from research organizations

Malaria severity not determined solely by parasite levels in blood

Date:
May 7, 2014
Source:
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Summary:
Although malaria kills some 600,000 African children each year, most cases of the mosquito-borne parasitic disease in children are mild. Repeated infection does generate some immunity, and episodes of severe malaria are unusual once a child reaches age 5. However, the relative contributions of such factors as the level of malaria-causing parasites in a person's blood -- parasite density -- to disease severity and to development of protective immunity are not well understood.
Share:
FULL STORY

Although malaria kills some 600,000 African children each year, most cases of the mosquito-borne parasitic disease in children are mild. Repeated infection does generate some immunity, and episodes of severe malaria are unusual once a child reaches age 5. However, the relative contributions of such factors as the level of malaria-causing parasites in a person's blood -- parasite density -- to disease severity and to development of protective immunity are not well understood.

To clarify these issues, researchers from the United States and Tanzania regularly examined 882 Tanzanian children beginning at birth and continuing for an average of two years. No simple relationship between parasite density and malaria severity emerged. For example, 253 children had a total of 444 infections characterized by high parasite density and mild symptoms. Of the 102 children who did develop severe malaria at least once while enrolled in the study, almost two-thirds (67) had high parasite density but only mild disease either before or after the episode of severe malaria. Moreover, data from this study suggest that one or two mild episodes of malaria are not sufficient to eliminate the risk of severe malaria; a finding contrary to predictions made by some mathematical models.

The researchers note that this prospective study is the first to provide direct evidence that severe malaria risk is stable over several infections. The findings suggest a new approach to malaria vaccine development based on naturally acquired immunity. Such a vaccine would prevent severe disease and death in children, without necessarily reducing exposure to the malaria parasite.


Story Source:

Materials provided by NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Bronner P. Gonçalves, Chiung-Yu Huang, Robert Morrison, Sarah Holte, Edward Kabyemela, D. Rebecca Prevots, Michal Fried, Patrick E. Duffy. Parasite Burden and Severity of Malaria in Tanzanian Children. New England Journal of Medicine, 2014; 370 (19): 1799 DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa1303944

Cite This Page:

NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "Malaria severity not determined solely by parasite levels in blood." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 7 May 2014. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140507212333.htm>.
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2014, May 7). Malaria severity not determined solely by parasite levels in blood. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 29, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140507212333.htm
NIH/National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. "Malaria severity not determined solely by parasite levels in blood." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/05/140507212333.htm (accessed March 29, 2024).

Explore More

from ScienceDaily

RELATED STORIES