The rapid and spontaneous postpartum clearance of Plasmodium falciparum is related to expulsion of the placenta

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Abstract

Parasitemia among pregnant women with protective immunity to Plasmodium falciparum malaria is often dominated by VAR2CSA-positive infected erythrocytes (IEs). VAR2CSA mediates sequestration of IEs in the placenta. We hypothesized that the previously observed spontaneous postpartum clearance of parasitemia in such women is related to the expulsion of the placenta, which removes the sequestration focus of VAR2CSA-positive IEs. We assessed parasitemias and gene transcription before and shortly after delivery in 17 Ghanaian women. The precipitous decline in parasitemia postpartum was accompanied by selective reduction in transcription of the gene encoding VAR2CSA. Our findings provide a mechanistic explanation for the earlier observation.

OriginalsprogEngelsk
TidsskriftThe Journal of Infectious Diseases
Vol/bind228
Udgave nummer2
Sider (fra-til)196-201
Antal sider6
ISSN0022-1899
DOI
StatusUdgivet - 2023

Bibliografisk note

© The Author(s) 2023. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Infectious Diseases Society of America.

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