Development of immunity against Plasmodium falciparum malaria: clinical and parasitologic immunity cannot be separated

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

A total of 1622 individuals of all ages living under conditions of continuous malarial transmission in Liberia were enrolled in a cross-sectional study of parasite rates, positive parasite densities, and body temperatures. The age-specific Plasmodium falciparum-positive parasite densities were greatest at ages 0.5-1.0 year, then slowly declined into adulthood. The age-specific mean body temperature at parasite isodensity showed a steady decline even in the oldest age group. The results do not support the hypothesis that adults have higher body temperatures at a given parasite density than do children with the same parasite density. The age-specific P. falciparum parasite density for specific isotemperatures showed that a subgroup of children in the age group 0.5-1.0 year had low temperatures (less than 36.5 degrees C) despite high parasite densities. This indicates that low body temperature should be investigated further as a possible indicator of serious malaria in young children. Parasitologic and clinical immunity develops concomitantly and cannot be separated. The findings do not support the hypothesis that a special "anti-disease" immunity exists independently of parasitologic immunity.

Original languageEnglish
JournalThe Journal of Infectious Diseases
Volume164
Issue number5
Pages (from-to)949-53
Number of pages5
ISSN0022-1899
Publication statusPublished - Nov 1991

    Research areas

  • Adolescent, Adult, Age Factors, Animals, Body Temperature, Child, Child, Preschool, Cross-Sectional Studies, Female, Humans, Infant, Malaria, Falciparum/immunology, Male, Plasmodium falciparum/growth & development, Pregnancy, Pregnancy Complications, Infectious/immunology

ID: 203012059