The effect of blood transfusion on outcomes among African children admitted to hospital with Plasmodium falciparum malaria: a prospective, multicentre observational study.

Background: Infection with Plasmodium falciparum leads to severe malaria and death in approximately 400 000 children each year in sub-Saharan Africa. Blood transfusion might benefit some patients with malaria but could potentially harm others. The aim of this study was to estimate the association between transfusion and death among children admitted to hospital with P falciparum malaria.

RTS,S/AS01E immunization increases antibody responses to vaccine-unrelated Plasmodium falciparum antigens associated with protection against clinical malaria in African children: a case-control study.

Background: Vaccination and naturally acquired immunity against microbial pathogens may have complex interactions that influence disease outcomes. To date, only vaccine-specific immune responses have routinely been investigated in malaria vaccine trials conducted in endemic areas. We hypothesized that RTS,S/A01E immunization affects acquisition of antibodies to Plasmodium falciparum antigens not included in the vaccine and that such responses have an impact on overall malaria protective immunity.

Concentration and avidity of antibodies to different circumsporozoite epitopes correlate with RTS,S/AS01E malaria vaccine efficacy.

RTS,S/AS01E has been tested in a phase 3 malaria vaccine study with partial efficacy in African children and infants. In a cohort of 1028 subjects from one low (Bagomoyo) and two high (Nanoro, Kintampo) malaria transmission sites, we analysed IgG plasma/serum concentration and avidity to CSP (NANP-repeat and C-terminal domains) after a 3-dose vaccination against time to clinical malaria events during 12-months. Here we report that RTS,S/AS01E induces substantial increases in IgG levels from pre- to post-vaccination (p < 0.

Differential Patterns of IgG Subclass Responses to Antigens in Relation to Malaria Protection and RTS,S Vaccination.

Naturally acquired immunity (NAI) to malaria is mainly mediated by IgG antibodies but the subclasses, epitope targets and effector functions have not been unequivocally defined. Dissecting the type and specificity of antibody responses mediating NAI is a key step toward developing more effective vaccines to control the disease. We investigated the role of IgG subclasses to malaria antigens in protection against disease and the factors that affect their levels, including vaccination with RTS,S/AS01E.

Baseline exposure, antibody subclass, and hepatitis B response differentially affect malaria protective immunity following RTS,S/AS01E vaccination in African children.

Background: The RTS,S/AS01E vaccine provides partial protection against malaria in African children, but immune responses have only been partially characterized and do not reliably predict protective efficacy. We aimed to evaluate comprehensively the immunogenicity of the vaccine at peak response, the factors affecting it, and the antibodies associated with protection against clinical malaria in young African children participating in the multicenter phase 3 trial for licensure.

Methods: We measured total IgM, IgG, and IgG subclass antibodies to three constructs of the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) that are part of the RTS,S vaccine, by quantitative suspension array technology.

Antibody responses to α-Gal in African children vary with age and site and are associated with malaria protection.

Naturally-acquired antibody responses to malaria parasites are not only directed to protein antigens but also to carbohydrates on the surface of Plasmodium protozoa. Immunoglobulin M responses to α-galactose (α-Gal) (Galα1-3Galβ1-4GlcNAc-R)-containing glycoconjugates have been associated with protection from P. falciparum infection and, as a result, these molecules are under consideration as vaccine targets; however there are limited field studies in endemic populations.

drLumi: An open-source package to manage data, calibrate, and conduct quality control of multiplex bead-based immunoassays data analysis.

Multiplex bead-based immunoassays are used to measure concentrations of several analytes simultaneously. These assays include control standard curves (SC) to reduce between-plate variability and normalize quantitation of analytes of biological samples. Suboptimal calibration might result in large random error and decreased number of samples with analyte concentrations within the limits of quantification.

RTS,S/AS01E Malaria Vaccine Induces Memory and Polyfunctional T Cell Responses in a Pediatric African Phase III Trial.

Comprehensive assessment of cellular responses to the RTS,S/AS01E vaccine is needed to understand potential correlates and ultimately mechanisms of protection against malaria disease. Cellular responses recognizing the RTS,S/AS01E-containing circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and Hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) were assessed before and 1 month after primary vaccination by intracellular cytokine staining and 16-color flow cytometry in 105 RTS,S/AS01-vaccinated and 74 rabies-vaccinated participants (controls) in a pediatric phase III trial in Africa. RTS,S/AS01E-vaccinated children had significantly higher frequencies of CSP- and HBsAg-specific CD4 T cells producing IL-2, TNF-α, and CD40L and HBsAg-specific CD4 T producing IFN-γ and IL-17 than baseline and the control group.

Distinct Helper T Cell Type 1 and 2 Responses Associated With Malaria Protection and Risk in RTS,S/AS01E Vaccinees.

Background: The RTS,S/AS01E malaria vaccine has moderate efficacy, lower in infants than children. Current efforts to enhance RTS,S/AS01E efficacy would benefit from learning about the vaccine-induced immunity and identifying correlates of malaria protection, which could, for instance, inform the choice of adjuvants. Here, we sought cellular immunity-based correlates of malaria protection and risk associated with RTS,S/AS01E vaccination.

Clinical and Emotional Factors Related to Erectile Dysfunction in HIV-Infected Men.

The prevalence and associated factors of erectile dysfunction (ED) in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected men remain controversial. The authors evaluated ED, clinical, and emotional variables in a group of 501 HIV-infected men in a cross-sectional 4-month observational study. ED was assessed using the International Index of Erectile Function-5 and emotional status using the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HAD) questionnaire.

Resilience, ageing, and quality of life in long-term diagnosed HIV-infected patients.

Resilience is a predictor of emotional well-being and psychological adjustment in people living with HIV infection. We report the results of a cross-sectional study in which we evaluated resilience and its association with perception of ageing, coping strategies, quality of life, and emotional status in a group of long-term diagnosed HIV-infected patients. The analysis included 151 consecutive participants (57.