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Malaria-associated cytokine changes in the placenta of women with pre-term deliveries in Yaounde, Cameroon.
- Source :
-
The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene [Am J Trop Med Hyg] 2003 Dec; Vol. 69 (6), pp. 574-81. - Publication Year :
- 2003
-
Abstract
- The prevalence of pre-term deliveries (PTDs) is increased in women who become infected with Plasmodium falciparum during pregnancy. Because prematurity is a risk factor for newborns, it is important to identify conditions that contribute to malaria-associated PTDs. Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes sequester in the placenta and attract activated mononuclear cells that secrete pro-inflammatory cytokines. Increased inflammatory cytokine levels in other microbial infections are associated with PTDs. To determine if such is the case in women with placental malaria, concentrations of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-4 (IL-4), and IL-10 were measured in placental plasma of 391 malaria-infected and -uninfected Cameroonian women with premature and full-term deliveries. Risk factors for malaria-associated PTDs included peripheral and placental parasitemias greater than 1%, maternal anemia, elevated IL-10 levels, and low TNF-alpha:IL-10 ratios due to over-expression of IL-10. Alterations in cytokine levels may contribute to PTDs through the induction of anemia and/or altering cellular immune responses required for eliminating placental parasites.
- Subjects :
- Adult
Animals
Cameroon
Case-Control Studies
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Female
Humans
Malaria, Falciparum parasitology
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic parasitology
Cytokines immunology
Malaria, Falciparum immunology
Obstetric Labor, Premature
Placenta immunology
Plasmodium falciparum immunology
Pregnancy Complications, Parasitic immunology
Subjects
Details
- Language :
- English
- ISSN :
- 0002-9637
- Volume :
- 69
- Issue :
- 6
- Database :
- MEDLINE
- Journal :
- The American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene
- Publication Type :
- Academic Journal
- Accession number :
- 14740871