Peripheral Parasitaemia and Its Association With Plasma Cytokines Levels in Malaria-Infected Pregnant Women in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Cytokines in pregnant female may not be a normal phenomenon as malarial infection is often associated with strong CD4+ cell activation and up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines. We investigated the relationship between peripheral parasitaemia and plasma levels of cytokines among malaria infected pregnant women in Aba, Abia State, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: A total of 206 non-HIV positive asymptomatic malaria parasitaemic (n=144) and non-parasitaemic (n=62) pregnant women were recruited for this study alongside 80 non-pregnant women who served as positive (n=40) and negative (n=40) controls. Blood samples were aseptically collected from each subject and tested for HIV and malaria parasites using standard methods. Also, plasma levels of cytokines were measured using Th1/Th2 human cytokine ELISA kits (Abcam, UK). Analysis of Variance and Student's t-test were used for Comparison of groups while Pearson's Correlation Coefficient was used for tests of association. Results:The results revealed a mean parasite density of 685.56±484.55 parasites/µl of blood. Malaria infected pregnant subjects showed significantly higher levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 when compared with their non-infected counterparts (P< 0.05). The cytokines evaluated were higher in moderate parasitaemia than mild parasitaemia. Positive correlation existed between peripheral parasite density (PPD) and IL-4 (r= 0.24, P=0.004), PPD and IL-6 (r = 0.35, P = 0.001) as well as PPD and IL-10 (r = 0.29, P = 0.001). Conclusion:This study showed that increase in peripheral parasitaemia increased levels of some plasma cytokines (IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10) but not IFN-γ and TNF-α in the malaria infected pregnant women studied.

EVALUATION OF Plasmodium falciparum PARASITAEMIA AND ASSOCIATED INFLAMMATORY CYTOKINES AMONG PREGNANT WOMEN IN GOMBE STATE, NIGERIA

“…The findings of the present study have shown an increase in levels of cytokines evaluated among infected pregnant women. This finding corroborates those of earlier researchers in Nigeria (Wokem et al, 2021;Barikuura et al, 2019;Ifeanyichukwu et al, 2017;Boston et al, 2012;Nmorsi et al, 2010) who showed that TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-10 and IL-6 were elevated in infected pregnant women than in uninfected ones. Therefore, these cytokines can be predictive biomarkers of malaria infection during pregnancy.…”

“…This finding agrees with that of Wokem et al (2021) 155 high in moderate and severe infection than in mild infection. However, the investigation contradicts the report where the levels of IL-6 was elevated in severe and moderate parasitaemia than in mild, and TNF-α, elevated in moderate and severe than in mild (Wokem et al, 2021;Ifeanyichukwu et al, 2017). Difference was not significant between parasitaemia and evaluated cytokine levels.…”

“…Although this research was conducted in both the dry and rainy seasons from June 2021 to February 2022. The average value of the mean parasitaemia 3454.00±18465.77 parasites/µl recorded in this study was higher than the 685.56±484.55 parasites/µl reported in Abia, Nigeria (Ifeanyichukwu et al, 2017) and lower than that reported among pregnant women 5226 parasites/µl in Rivers, Nigeria (Wokem et al, 2021). The differences in mean parasitaemia levels observed could be due to the, pattern of transmission which differs with regions, methods of examination and solitude adherence of parasite to brain and other internal organs such as placenta, endothelial cells in the spleen and kidney tissues may decrease parasite load in blood circulation (Ifeanyichukwu et al, 2017).…”

“…The average value of the mean parasitaemia 3454.00±18465.77 parasites/µl recorded in this study was higher than the 685.56±484.55 parasites/µl reported in Abia, Nigeria (Ifeanyichukwu et al, 2017) and lower than that reported among pregnant women 5226 parasites/µl in Rivers, Nigeria (Wokem et al, 2021). The differences in mean parasitaemia levels observed could be due to the, pattern of transmission which differs with regions, methods of examination and solitude adherence of parasite to brain and other internal organs such as placenta, endothelial cells in the spleen and kidney tissues may decrease parasite load in blood circulation (Ifeanyichukwu et al, 2017). The age group 21-25 pregnant women recorded a higher prevalence rate of P. falciparum infection at 38.1% with a mean parasitemia level of 5872.29±3079.29, while the age group of 46-50 recorded the lowest prevalence of infection with a mean parasitemia level of 143.00 ±0.00 .…”

Plasmodium and intestinal parasite perturbations of the infected host’s inflammatory responses: a systematic review

“…These alterations in immune responses have been found to alter the susceptibility of pregnant women to some infectious diseases [ 95 ] including malaria [ 96 , 97 ] and intestinal parasite infections [ 98 , 99 ]. In humans, IFN-γ levels to schistosome egg and worm antigen has been found to decrease during pregnancy and high IL-10 levels [ 100 – 102 ] as well as IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-6 [ 103 ] have been found to be associated with pregnancy associated malaria. Animal models have also shown a reduced schistosome specific IFN-γ production in pregnant mice [ 104 ].…”