Protective devices against vectors are used by travelers in malaria-endemic areas but their efficacy for protection against mosquitoes has rarely been evaluated. The level of exposure to malaria transmission of 205 soldiers deployed in Africa and the efficacy of their anti-vector prophylaxis was evaluated by comparison of their IgM and IgG responses against five pre-erythrocytic Plasmodium falciparum antigens (circumsporozoite protein, sporozoite threonine- and asparagine-rich protein, sporozoite- and liver-stage antigen, liver stage antigen 1, and SR11.1) before and at the end of their deployment, and three months after returning to France for 106 of these soldiers. The immune responses increased significantly during the mission in 35% (95% confidence interval = 28-42%) of the individuals. The permanent use of insecticide-treated bed nets and long-sleeve battle dress at night were associated with protective efficacy. The analysis of these antibody responses was sensitive enough to evaluate exposure to malaria transmission and the efficacy of anti-vector devices in travelers using antimalarial chemoprophylaxis.
BackgroundPlasmodium falciparum infections could lead to severe malaria, principally in non-immune individuals as children and travellers from countries exempted of malaria. Severe malaria is often associated with the sequestration of P. falciparum-infected erythrocytes in deep micro-vascular beds via interactions between host endothelial receptors and parasite ligands expressed on the surface of the infected erythrocyte. Although, serological responses from individuals living in endemic areas against proteins expressed at surface of the infected erythrocyte have been largely studied, seldom data are available about the specific targets of antibody response from travellers.MethodsIn order to characterize antigens recognized by traveller sera, a comparison of IgG immune response against membrane protein extracts from uninfected and P. falciparum-infected red blood cells (iRBC), using immunoblots, was performed between non exposed individuals (n = 31) and briefly exposed individuals (BEI) (n = 38) to malaria transmission.ResultsImmune profile analysis indicated that eight protein bands from iRBC were significantly detected more frequently in the BEI group. Some of these antigenic proteins were identified by an original immuno-proteomic approach.ConclusionCollectively, these data may be useful to characterize the singular serological immune response against a primary malaria infection in individuals briefly exposed to transmission.
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