| Abstrak/Abstract |
Elimination requires control programs to identify reservoirs of infection and focus interventions to address these. As the level of malaria in an area decreases it becomes harder to identify who has been infected. Conventional approaches such as microscopy can not detect infections with very low
parasitemia and so the more sensitive measures are needed. Human antibodies in patients exposed to malaria can persist for several months or years and represent the footprint of malaria exposure in a population. Serological analysis therefore has potential to identify groups of people and/or locations with high exposure and this can then be used to target malaria controlinterventions.The acquisition and waning of antibody responses following acute and postnatal exposure to malaria, can further inform potential vaccine candidates. In complementary studies serological responses to HW can facilitate the potential development of novel diagnostics and surveillance strategies.
The goal of this study is to determine the prevalence of key malaria antibodies and how these vary with age and exposureto malaria. Complementary studies will also address acquisition of immunity to specific different Plasmodium antigens. |
