Identification of predictive biomarkers of placental dysfunction in Malaria

Abstract

Malaria in pregnancy is characterized as the presence of Plasmodium spp. in the peripheral blood or placenta, being one of the main causes of mortality in tropical regions, causing maternal Anemia, abortion, intrauterine growth restriction, preterm delivery and low birth weight. Placental Malaria is one of the serious consequences of Malaria in pregnancy, occurring in about 20% to 50% of cases. It usually presents asymptomatically and is also one of the main causes of adverse gestational outcomes. Despite knowing its high prevalence and the important complications associated with the infection, there are still no early diagnostic methods that can predict the placental dysfunction caused by infection with Plasmodium spp. Because it is a disease of great magnitude, this project has as main objective to identify potential biomarkers predictive of placental dysfunction in Malaria in early pregnancy. Knowledge of the mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of infection during pregnancy will make an important contribution not only to understanding the immunobiology of the disease but also to predicting the efficacy of new diagnostic, intervention and treatment methodologies. (AU)