ANTIBODIES TO PLASMODIUM VIVAX APICAL MEMBRANE ANTIGEN 1: PERSISTENCE AND CORRELATION WITH MALARIA TRANSMISSION INTENSITY

• Published in: The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene Vol. 75; no. 4; pp. 582 - 587
• Main Authors: MORAIS, CRISTIANE G, SOARES, IRENE S, CARVALHO, LUZIA H, FONTES, COR J. F, KRETTLI, ANTONIANA U, BRAGA, ERIKA M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Lawrence, KS ASTMH 01.10.2006; Allen Press
• Subjects: Adult; Animals; Antibodies, Protozoan - blood; Antigens, Protozoan - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Brazil - epidemiology; Endemic Diseases; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Human protozoal diseases; Humans; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin G - classification; Infectious diseases; Malaria; Malaria, Vivax - epidemiology; Malaria, Vivax - immunology; Malaria, Vivax - transmission; Male; Medical sciences; Membrane Proteins - immunology; Parasitic diseases; Plasmodium vivax; Plasmodium vivax - immunology; Protozoal diseases; Protozoan Proteins - immunology; Time Factors; South America; Brazil; America; Infection; Human; Protozoa; Plasmodium vivax; Apicomplexa; Protozoal disease; Malaria; Antibody; Transmission; Tropical medicine; Parasitosis
• ISSN: 0002-9637; 1476-1645
• DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2006.75.582

The antibody responses to the apical membrane antigen 1 of the Plasmodium vivax (PvAMA-1) were investigated in subjects living in areas of Brazil with different levels of malaria transmission. The prevalence and the levels of IgG to PvAMA-1 increased with the time of exposure. The frequency of a positive response and the mean IgG level were higher in areas where malaria prevalence was more intense, especially among non-infected subjects exposed to moderate transmission over a period of 20 years. The proportions and levels of IgG1and IgG3 isotypes were significantly higher among those subjects with long-term exposure. Antibodies, mainly IgG1, to PvAMA-1 persisted for seven years among subjects briefly exposed to malaria in an outbreak outside the Brazilian malaria-endemic area. These data show the highly immunogenic properties of PvAMA-1 and emphasize its possible use as a malaria vaccine candidate.