In:
Parasitology, Cambridge University Press (CUP), Vol. 121, No. 3 ( 2000-09), p. 247-256
Abstract:
The burden and duration of asymptomatic malaria infections were measured in residents of the malaria endemic village
of Gonoa, Madang Province, Papua New Guinea. Plasmodium falciparum , P. vivax and P. malariae infections in people
aged 4 years to adulthood were compared. Frequent sampling at 3-day intervals for up to 61 days allowed assessment of individual episodes of infection. Statistical assessment of P. falciparum detection revealed a periodicity consistent with
synchronous replication of this species over periods up to 27 days. The duration of P. falciparum episodes was longer
across all age groups than that of P. vivax and P. malariae . A trend for decreasing duration with age was also noted in
data from each species. This was most prominent in P. falciparum infections: median duration in 4-year-olds was 〉 48 days compared with a median between 9 and 15 days in older children and adults. The results are consistent with
the slow acquisition of immunity to antigenically diverse Plasmodium populations and suggest a faster rate of acquisition
to P. vivax and P. malariae than to P. falciparum .
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
ISSN:
0031-1820
,
1469-8161
DOI:
10.1017/S0031182099006344
Language:
English
Publisher:
Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Publication Date:
2000
detail.hit.zdb_id:
1491287-9
SSG:
12