Rapid Spontaneous Postpartum Clearance of Plasmodium Falciparum Parasitaemia in African Women

Spontaneous Postpartum Clearance of Plasmodium falciparum Parasitemia in Pregnant Women, Benin

“…Twenty-two years after the first published results, 4 we confirm that pregnant women infected at delivery can clear parasitemia spontaneously in the early postpartum period. This phenomenon was described in all 18 untreated women tested for parasitemia in the early postpartum period.…”

“…A study published in the 1980s showed that women who were parasitemic at delivery cleared their parasitemia spontaneously within 48 hours postpartum. 4 Recently, two longitudinal studies found that women remained at high risk for malaria in the early postpartum period, as during pregnancy.1, 5 To investigate this issue, which may have important consequences for the management of women who recently delivered a child, we studied the immediate postpartum spontaneous evolution of malaria infections at delivery in pregnant women in Benin.Data were collected during a clinical trial on intermittent preventive treatment in pregnancy (IPTp), which was conducted during July 2005-April 2008 in Benin. 6 The study protocol was described elsewhere 6 and was reviewed and approved by ethics committees in France and Benin.…”

“…A study published in the 1980s showed that women who were parasitemic at delivery cleared their parasitemia spontaneously within 48 hours postpartum. 4 Recently, two longitudinal studies found that women remained at high risk for malaria in the early postpartum period, as during pregnancy.…”

“…A study published in the 1980s showed that women who were parasitemic at delivery cleared their parasitemia spontaneously within 48 hours postpartum. 4 Recently, two longitudinal studies found that women remained at high risk for malaria in the early postpartum period, as during pregnancy. 1,5 To investigate this issue, which may have important consequences for the management of women who recently delivered a child, we studied the immediate postpartum spontaneous evolution of malaria infections at delivery in pregnant women in Benin.…”

Adhesion Specificities of Plasmodium falciparum-Infected Erythrocytes Involved in the Pathogenesis of Pregnancy-Associated Malaria

“…Placental IEs are thus functionally distinct from IEs causing malaria in nonpregnant individuals, and placenta-sequestering parasites appear to be unable to survive in nonpregnant hosts. 4 Furthermore, the VSA expressed by placental and CSA-adhering IEs (VSA PAM ) are antigenically completely distinct from other VSA. 5,6 These findings suggest that the reason why pregnant women become susceptible to P. falciparum malaria despite previously acquired protective immunity to the disease is not due to pregnancy-related immunosuppression as previously thought.…”