Understanding the Role of Serological and Clinical Data on Assessing the Dynamic of Malaria Transmission: a Case Study of Bagamoyo District, Tanzania

Overview

Journal Pan Afr Med J

Date 2022 Dec 29

PMID 36578806

Authors

Tunu Guntram Mwamlima

Solomon Mickson Mwakasungula

Catherine Gerald Mkindi

Mgeni Mohamed Tambwe

Sarah Senyoni Mswata

Stephen Gabriel Mbwambo

Michael Fred Mboya

Simon John Draper

Sarah Elizabeth Silk

Maxmillian Gideon Mpina

John-Mary Vianney

Ally Ibrahim Olotu

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: naturally acquired blood-stage malaria antibodies and malaria clinical data have been reported to be useful in monitoring malaria change over time and as a marker of malaria exposure. This study assessed the total immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels to Plasmodium falciparum schizont among infants (5-17 months), estimated malaria incidence using routine health facility-based surveillance data and predicted trend relation between anti-schizont antibodies and malaria incidence in Bagamoyo.

Methods: 252 serum samples were used for assessment of total IgG by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and results were expressed in arbitrary units (AU). 147/252 samples were collected in 2021 during a blood-stage malaria vaccine trial [ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04318002], and 105/252 were archived samples of malaria vaccine trial conducted in 2012 [ClinicalTrials.gov NCT00866619]. Malaria incidence was calculated from outpatient clinic data of malaria rapid test or blood smear positive results retrieved from District-Health-Information-Software-2 (DHIS2) between 2013 and 2020. Cross-sectional data from both studies were analysed using STATA version 14.

Results: this study demonstrated a decline in total anti-schizont IgG levels from 490.21AU in 2012 to 97.07AU in 2021 which was related to a fall in incidence from 58.25 cases/1000 person-year in 2013 to 14.28 cases/1000 person-year in 2020. We also observed a significant difference in incidence when comparing high and low malaria transmission areas and by gender. However, we did not observe differences when comparing total anti-schizont antibodies by gender and study year.

Conclusion: total anti-schizont antibody levels appear to be an important serological marker of exposure for assessing the dynamic of malaria transmission in infants living in malaria-endemic regions.

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