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Effect of vitamin supplements on the incidence of malaria among children born to HIV‐infected women
Author(s) -
Villamor Eduardo,
Msamanga Gernard,
Saathoff Elmar,
Manji Karim,
Fawzi Wafaie W
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.20.4.a125-b
Subject(s) - parasitemia , medicine , malaria , incidence (geometry) , vitamin , pediatrics , tanzania , pregnancy , breastfeeding , obstetrics , immunology , plasmodium falciparum , biology , physics , environmental science , environmental planning , optics , genetics
Some evidence suggests protective effects of vitamin A on child malaria but the impact of other vitamins is not known. We examined the effect of maternal vitamin supplementation on child malaria among 829 mother‐infant pairs who participated in a randomized, double‐blind clinical trial conducted in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. HIV‐infected women received one of four daily oral regimens during pregnancy and after delivery: 1) vitamins B, C, and E (MV); 2) vitamin A and β‐carotene (VA/BC); 3) MV including VA/BC; or 4) placebo. The incidence of malaria was assessed through blood smears every 3 months and monthly and interim clinic visits from birth to 24 months of age. The outcomes considered were clinical malaria defined as parasitemia >5000/mm 3 with concomitant fever (>37.5°C); high parasitemia (>5000/mm 3 ); and any parasitemia. Breastfeeding was adopted universally. MV reduced the incidence of clinical malaria by 71% (P=0.02) and VA/BC by 63% (P=0.05). MV including VA/BC reduced the incidence of high parasitemia by 43% (P=0.04). We conclude that vitamin supplementation to HIV‐infected women could reduce the incidence of clinical malaria in their children during the first two years of age. The study was funded by the NICHD.