Open AccessExpression of Variant Surface Antigens by Plasmodium falciparum Parasites in the Peripheral Blood of Clinically Immune Pregnant Women Indicates Ongoing Placental Infection
Author(s) -
Michael F. Ofori,
Trine Staalsøe,
Victoria Bam,
Maja Lundquist,
David Koffi,
Edmund Browne,
Bartholomew D. Akanmori,
Lars Hviid
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
infection and immunity
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.508
H-Index - 220
eISSN - 1070-6313
pISSN - 0019-9567
DOI - 10.1128/iai.71.3.1584-1586.2003
Subject(s) - biology , placenta , plasmodium falciparum , immune system , immunology , malaria , antigen , pregnancy , peripheral blood , virology , fetus , genetics
Placenta-sequestered Plasmodium falciparum parasites that cause pregnancy-associated malaria (PAM) in otherwise clinically immune women express distinct variant surface antigens (VSA(PAM)) not expressed by parasites in nonpregnant individuals. We report here that parasites from the peripheral blood of clinically immune pregnant women also express VSA(PAM), making them a convenient source of VSA(PAM) expressors for PAM vaccine research.