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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 76(6), 2007, pp. 1084-1091
Copyright © 2007 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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VARIANT-SPECIFIC ANTIBODIES TO MEROZOITE SURFACE PROTEIN 2 AND CLINICAL EXPRESSION OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM MALARIA IN RURAL AMAZONIANS

KÉZIA K. G. SCOPEL, MÔNICA DA SILVA-NUNES, ROSELY S. MALAFRONTE, ÉRIKA M. BRAGA*, AND MARCELO U. FERREIRA
Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil; Laboratory of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, and Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil

Naturally acquired antibodies to five variants of the merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP-2), a target of clinical immunity to Plasmodium falciparum malaria, were measured in a cohort of rural Amazonians. Local MSP-2 variants comprised both highly divergent families of alleles (FC27 and 3D7). Total IgG antibodies to two FC27-type antigens were found in 22–28% of subjects at baseline, with substantial cross-reactivity between variants and stable concentrations and specificities over time. The IgG antibodies to three 3D7-type antigens were less prevalent (6–7%), less cross-reactive, and short-lived; subsequent exposure to 3D7-type parasites rarely elicited homologous response. The clinical spectrum of 109 incident P. falciparum infections in our cohort ranged between asymptomatic infection and fully symptomatic but uncomplicated disease. Parasitemia at the time of diagnosis, rather than cumulative malaria exposure or acquired immunity (presence of variant-specific antibodies matching the MSP-2 type in infecting parasites), was a major predictor of perceived symptom severity.

Received December 22, 2006. Accepted for publication March 5, 2007.

Acknowledgments: We thank Sebastião Bocalom Rodrigues, Damaris de Oliveira, and Nésio M. Carvalho (Municipal Government of Acrelândia), and Raimundo A. Costa and the malaria control team in Acrelândia for their logistic support; Adamílson Luís de Souza and Dr. Natal Santos da Silva (recipients of scholarships from the Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico [CNPq]) for help with fieldwork; Estéfano Alves de Souza and Bruna de Almeida Luz (recipients of CNPq scholarships) for data management; Natália T. Komatsu (recipient of a research scholarship from the University of São Paulo) and Rosane Rezende d’Arcádia (recipient of a research scholarship from the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo [FAPESP]) for PCR-based malaria diagnosis; and Francisco das Chagas O. Luz (Ministry of Health, Brasília, Brazil) for reviewing all malaria slides.

Financial support: This study was supported by grants from CNPq (470067/2004-7), FAPESP (03/09719-6 and 05/51988-0), and the Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG) (CBB51/03). Kézia K. G. Scopel, Mônica da Silva-Nunes, and Marcelo U. Ferreira are recipients of scholarships from CAPES, FAPESP, and CNPq, respectively.

* Address correspondence to Érika M. Braga, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil. E-mail: embraga{at}icb.ufmg.br

Authors’ addresses: Kézia K. G. Scopel and Érika M. Braga, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minais Gerais, Brazil, Telephone: 55-31-34992876, Fax: 55-31-34992970, E-mails: keziascopel{at}yahoo.com.br and embraga{at}icb.ufmg.br. Mônica da Silva-Nunes and Marcelo U. Ferreira, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes 1374, 05508-900 São Paulo, Brazil, Telephone: 55-11-3091-7746, Fax: 55-11-3091-7417, E-mails: msnunes1{at}yahoo.com.br and muferrei{at}usp.br. Rosely S. Malafronte, Laboratory of Protozoology, Institute of Tropical Medicine of São Paulo, Av. Dr. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar 470, Cerqueira César, 05403-000 São Paulo, Brazil, Telephone: 55-11-30617017, Fax: 55-11-3088-5237, E-mail: rmalafronte{at}usp.br.




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M. da Silva-Nunes, C. T. Codeco, R. S. Malafronte, N. S. da Silva, C. Juncansen, P. T. Muniz, and M. U. Ferreira
Malaria on the Amazonian Frontier: Transmission Dynamics, Risk Factors, Spatial Distribution, and Prospects for Control
Am J Trop Med Hyg, October 1, 2008; 79(4): 624 - 635.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


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Copyright © 2007 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.