Study of the humoral immune response in recurrent infections by Plasmodium vivax in pregnant women from Amazon region

Abstract

Malaria in pregnancy is characterized by the presence of Plasmodium spp. in the peripheral blood or placenta, being one of the main causes of mortality in tropical regions, which causes maternal anemia, abortion, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm delivery and low birth weight. Plasmodium (P.) vivax is the dominant malaria species outside the African continent, accounting for about 40% of total malaria cases worldwide. In Brazil, the species with the highest prevalence is also P. vivax, and despite the significant reduction in numbers in recent years, more than 170,000 cases of this parasite are still reported annually. Due to high prevalence and the possible association with major complications during pregnancy, this project aims to study the profile of the humoral immune response by identifying the impact of multiple P. vivax infections during pregnancy. Knowledge of the mechanisms involved in the immunopathogenesis of infection during pregnancy will make an important contribution not only to the understanding of the immunobiology of the disease, but also in opening new paths of study that may result in a positive prognosis for both, mother and child. (AU)