Cord Malaria Infection, Complement Activation, Oxidative Stress, Gestational Age, and Birth Weight, Characterized by High Plasmodium falciparum Prevalence in Bamenda, Cameroon
Background. It is unknown whether the presence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites in umbilical cord blood denotes activation of complement and oxidative stress to affect the duration of pregnancy and birth weight. Methods. In a cross-sectional study conducted from January to April 2019 in Ba...
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Wiley
2020-01-01
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| Series: | Journal of Tropical Medicine |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/7209542 |
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| author | Oumar Mahamat Kidio Gisele Ndum Sumo Laurentine Ntonifor Ngum Helen |
| author_facet | Oumar Mahamat Kidio Gisele Ndum Sumo Laurentine Ntonifor Ngum Helen |
| author_sort | Oumar Mahamat |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background. It is unknown whether the presence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites in umbilical cord blood denotes activation of complement and oxidative stress to affect the duration of pregnancy and birth weight. Methods. In a cross-sectional study conducted from January to April 2019 in Bamenda, Cameroon, cord blood samples were collected from 300 women at delivery. Parasitaemia was determined microscopically. Babies’ weight and age of gestation were recorded. Plasma levels of complement and oxidative stress were measured by specific tests. Results. Cord blood malaria prevalence was 21.33%. Babies with an infected cord showed a low birth weight and gestation age than those with uninfected cords. More babies with infected cords had LBW (6.25%) compared to the counterparts (5.50%). The levels of parasitaemia and the babies’ weight showed a weak positive correlation. The prevalence of preterm and postterm birth was 4.33% and 24.33% respectively, with a weak negative correlation between the age of gestation and the umbilical cord parasitaemia. There was correlation between cord parasitaemia and levels of complement haemolytic activity titter (CH50) and specific classical pathway activity (CPA) in cord blood. CH50 and CPA levels, however, were significantly higher in infected cord blood samples, compared with uninfected cord blood samples. CH50 showed a negative correlation with the birth weight and gestational age in infected cord blood samples. The levels of total oxidative stress (TOS) and total antioxidant defense were significantly lower in infected cord blood than uninfected. TOS displayed a positive correlation with the density of parasitaemia and a weak negative correlation with the birth weight and gestational age in infected cord blood. Conclusion. Cord blood infection lowers the complement haemolytic titter, oxygen radicals and total antioxidant defense in neonates. This lowering of complement haemolytic titter and oxygen radical compounds in umbilical cord malaria are associated with low birth weight and preterm birth. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a0a1e68e89cb4e3baf61d20933f8c921 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1687-9686 1687-9694 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2020-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
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| series | Journal of Tropical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-a0a1e68e89cb4e3baf61d20933f8c9212025-08-20T03:38:09ZengWileyJournal of Tropical Medicine1687-96861687-96942020-01-01202010.1155/2020/72095427209542Cord Malaria Infection, Complement Activation, Oxidative Stress, Gestational Age, and Birth Weight, Characterized by High Plasmodium falciparum Prevalence in Bamenda, CameroonOumar Mahamat0Kidio Gisele Ndum1Sumo Laurentine2Ntonifor Ngum Helen3Laboratory of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, Bamenda, CameroonLaboratory of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, Bamenda, CameroonLaboratory of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, Bamenda, CameroonLaboratory of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Bamenda, Bamenda, CameroonBackground. It is unknown whether the presence of Plasmodium falciparum malaria parasites in umbilical cord blood denotes activation of complement and oxidative stress to affect the duration of pregnancy and birth weight. Methods. In a cross-sectional study conducted from January to April 2019 in Bamenda, Cameroon, cord blood samples were collected from 300 women at delivery. Parasitaemia was determined microscopically. Babies’ weight and age of gestation were recorded. Plasma levels of complement and oxidative stress were measured by specific tests. Results. Cord blood malaria prevalence was 21.33%. Babies with an infected cord showed a low birth weight and gestation age than those with uninfected cords. More babies with infected cords had LBW (6.25%) compared to the counterparts (5.50%). The levels of parasitaemia and the babies’ weight showed a weak positive correlation. The prevalence of preterm and postterm birth was 4.33% and 24.33% respectively, with a weak negative correlation between the age of gestation and the umbilical cord parasitaemia. There was correlation between cord parasitaemia and levels of complement haemolytic activity titter (CH50) and specific classical pathway activity (CPA) in cord blood. CH50 and CPA levels, however, were significantly higher in infected cord blood samples, compared with uninfected cord blood samples. CH50 showed a negative correlation with the birth weight and gestational age in infected cord blood samples. The levels of total oxidative stress (TOS) and total antioxidant defense were significantly lower in infected cord blood than uninfected. TOS displayed a positive correlation with the density of parasitaemia and a weak negative correlation with the birth weight and gestational age in infected cord blood. Conclusion. Cord blood infection lowers the complement haemolytic titter, oxygen radicals and total antioxidant defense in neonates. This lowering of complement haemolytic titter and oxygen radical compounds in umbilical cord malaria are associated with low birth weight and preterm birth.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/7209542 |
| spellingShingle | Oumar Mahamat Kidio Gisele Ndum Sumo Laurentine Ntonifor Ngum Helen Cord Malaria Infection, Complement Activation, Oxidative Stress, Gestational Age, and Birth Weight, Characterized by High Plasmodium falciparum Prevalence in Bamenda, Cameroon Journal of Tropical Medicine |
| title | Cord Malaria Infection, Complement Activation, Oxidative Stress, Gestational Age, and Birth Weight, Characterized by High Plasmodium falciparum Prevalence in Bamenda, Cameroon |
| title_full | Cord Malaria Infection, Complement Activation, Oxidative Stress, Gestational Age, and Birth Weight, Characterized by High Plasmodium falciparum Prevalence in Bamenda, Cameroon |
| title_fullStr | Cord Malaria Infection, Complement Activation, Oxidative Stress, Gestational Age, and Birth Weight, Characterized by High Plasmodium falciparum Prevalence in Bamenda, Cameroon |
| title_full_unstemmed | Cord Malaria Infection, Complement Activation, Oxidative Stress, Gestational Age, and Birth Weight, Characterized by High Plasmodium falciparum Prevalence in Bamenda, Cameroon |
| title_short | Cord Malaria Infection, Complement Activation, Oxidative Stress, Gestational Age, and Birth Weight, Characterized by High Plasmodium falciparum Prevalence in Bamenda, Cameroon |
| title_sort | cord malaria infection complement activation oxidative stress gestational age and birth weight characterized by high plasmodium falciparum prevalence in bamenda cameroon |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2020/7209542 |
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