Uncommon asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infections in Gabonese children.

Abstract

To assess the frequency of asymptomatic plasmodial infections in young children living in an area of hyperendemicity, a cohort of 200 children in Gabon was investigated longitudinally. Of 660 cases of Plasmodium falciparum infection, 77% were symptomatic at the time they were identified and only 7% were preceded by an asymptomatic phase of >4 days. Sickle cell trait, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, and mutation in the promoter region of tumor necrosis factor (TNF(-376A/-238A)) were significantly associated with asymptomatic P. falciparum infection (P=.03, P=.009, and P<.001, respectively). We conclude that true asymptomatic cases of P. falciparum infection are uncommon in young children and that single measurements or measurements made at long time intervals will lead to a strong underestimation of the incidence of malaria.

• Authors: Michel A Missinou, Bertrand Lell, Peter G Kremsner
• Journal: Clinical infectious diseases : an official publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America (Clin Infect Dis) Vol. 36 Issue 9 Pg. 1198-202 (May 01 2003) ISSN: 1537-6591 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 12715318 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Animals
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Gabon (epidemiology)
• Humans
• Longitudinal Studies
• Malaria, Falciparum (epidemiology, metabolism, physiopathology)
• Male
• Plasmodium falciparum