Nutritional Status and Humoral Immune Response to Plasmodium falciparum in Children Aged 6–59 Months

Abstract

Malaria is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in Africa. Children are mostly exposed to this disease; numerous studies have investigated the relationship between child malnutrition and either malaria morbidity or infection. Few studies demonstrated the interaction between child malnutrition and specific anti-Plasmodium falciparum immune responses. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of nutritional status and iron on total anti-Plasmodium falciparum IgG levels in children living in the Gado-Badzéré refugee camp. We carried out a cross-sectional study during August–November 2017 in the Gado-Badzéré refugee camp in the East region of Cameroon. Children aged from 6 to 59 months with fever were recruited from the medical center. The data were recorded using a standardized data collection sheet and were analyzed using SPSS and WHO Anthro software. The total anti-Pf 3D7 total IgG level was determined using an ELISA technique while a colorimetric method was used to measure the total iron level. A total of 83 patients aged 6–59 months were enrolled in this study. The prevalence of malaria and malnutrition was 47% and 31%, respectively. Acute malnutrition was statistically less recurrent in noninfected children compared with that in the infected children. The infection tended to have significant influence on the level of anti-Plasmodium falciparum antibodies in children. In addition, nutritional status and serum iron levels had no significant influence on children’s anti-Pf IgG T levels. Malaria and malnutrition remain real public health problems in the Gado-badzéré refugee camp. Knowledge of the nutritional profile of the population would be of great benefit in setting up an appropriate health program. We therefore suggest that more standardized studies be conducted to highlight the effect of nutrition and micronutrients on immunological status.