Research article

Effect of treating Schistosoma haematobium infection on Plasmodium falciparum-specific antibody responses

L Reilly¹ , C Magkrioti^1,3 , T Mduluza² , DR Cavanagh¹ and F Mutapi¹

¹Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, Ashworth Laboratories, King's Buildings, University of Edinburgh, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK

²Department of Biochemistry, University of Zimbabwe, PO Box 167, Mount Pleasant, Harare, Zimbabwe

³Institute of Biology, NCSR Demokritos, Neapoleos and Patriarhou Gregoriou 15310 Agia Paraskevi, Athens, Greece

author email corresponding author email

BMC Infectious Diseases 2008, 8:158doi:10.1186/1471-2334-8-158

Published:	17 November 2008

Abstract

Background

The overlapping geographical and socio-economic distribution of malaria and helminth infection has led to several studies investigating the immunological and pathological interactions of these parasites. This study focuses on the effect of treating schistosome infections on natural human immune responses directed against plasmodia merozoite surface proteins MSP-1 (DPKMWR, MSP1₁₉), and MSP-2 (CH150 and Dd2) which are potential vaccine candidates as well as crude malaria (schizont) and schistosome (whole worm homogenate) proteins.

Methods

IgG1 and IgG3 antibody responses directed against Schistosoma haematobium crude adult worm antigen (WWH) and Plasmodium falciparum antigens (merozoite surface proteins 1/2 and schizont extract), were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 117 Zimbabweans (6–18 years old) exposed to S. haematobium and P. falciparum infection. These responses were measured before and after anti-helminth treatment with praziquantel to determine the effects of treatment on anti-plasmodial/schistosome responses.

Results

There were no significant associations between antibody responses (IgG1/IgG3) directed against P. falciparum and schistosomes before treatment. Six weeks after schistosome treatment there were significant changes in levels of IgG1 directed against schistosome crude antigens, plasmodia crude antigens, MSP-1₁₉, MSP-2 (Dd2), and in IgG3 directed against MSP-1₁₉. However, only changes in anti-schistosome IgG1 were attributable to the anti-helminth treatment.

Conclusion

There was no association between anti-P. falciparum and S. haematobium antibody responses in this population and anti-helminth treatment affected only anti-schistosome responses and not responses against plasmodia crude antigens or MSP-1 and -2 vaccine candidates.