The age-specific prevalence of Plasmodium falciparum in migrants to Irian Jaya is not attributable to agglutinating antibody repertoire

Authors

• John C. Reeder, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria 3050, Australia
• Kathleen M. Davern, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria 3050, Australia
• J. Kevin Baird, US Na6al Medical Research Unit No. 2, Jakarta, IndonesiaFollow
• Stephen J. Rogerson, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria 3050, Australia
• Graham V. Brown, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, Victoria 3050, Australia

Date of this Version

1996

Citation

Acta Tropica 65 (1997) 163–173

Comments

U.S. Government Work

Abstract

Previous observations have shown that individuals migrating from a malaria free area to a malaria endemic region in North Eastern Irian Jaya quickly acquire anti-parasite immunity, in an age-dependent manner. Sera from migrants and long-term residents in this area were examined for their ability to agglutinate a range of Plasmodium falciparum isolates and to disrupt erythrocyte rosettes. Antibody responses to merozoite surface protein 2 (MSP2) and ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen (RESA) were also determined. The range of isolates agglutinated by sera from the migrants approached that seen in long-term residents. No difference was found between migrant adults and children in the range of agglutinating antibody, size of agglutinates, nor disruption of rosettes. Anti-MSP2 and anti-RESA antibodies were the only factors examined which showed a correlation with age. We conclude that although antibody to parasite neoantigens expressed on the surface of infected erythrocytes may play a role in the acquisition of immunity, the humoral response to other P. falciparum antigens is more likely to account for the age-dependent prevalence of parasitaemia observed.