Additional screening and treatment of malaria during pregnancy provides further protection against malaria and nonmalarial fevers during the first year of life

Hamtandi Magloire Natama, Eduard Rovira-Vallbona, Hermann Sorgho, M Athanase Somé, Maminata Traoré-Coulibaly, Susana Scott, Serge Henri Zango, Ousséni Sawadogo, Sibiri Claude Zongo, Innocent Valéa, Petra F Mens, Henk D F H Schallig, Luc Kestens, Halidou Tinto, Anna Rosanas-Urgell

Research output: Contribution to journalA1: Web of Science-articlepeer-review

Abstract

Background: Although consensus exists that malaria in pregnancy (MiP) increases the risk of malaria in infancy, and eventually nonmalarial fevers (NMFs), there is a lack of conclusive evidence of benefits of MiP preventive strategies in infants.

Methods: In Burkina Faso, a birth cohort study was nested to a clinical trial assessing the effectiveness of a community-based scheduled screening and treatment of malaria in combination with intermittent preventive treatment with sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (CSST/IPTp-SP) to prevent placental malaria. Clinical episodes and asymptomatic infections were monitored over 1 year of follow-up to compare the effect of CSST/IPTp-SP and standard IPTp-SP on malaria and NMFs.

Results: Infants born during low-transmission season from mothers receiving CSST/IPTp-SP had a 26% decreased risk of experiencing a first clinical episode (hazard ratio, 0.74 [95% confidence interval, .55-0.99]; P = .047). CSST/IPTp-SP interacted with birth season and gravidity to reduce the incidence of NMFs. No significant effects of CSST/IPTp-SP on the incidence of clinical episodes, parasite density, and Plasmodium falciparum infections were observed.

Conclusions: Our findings indicate that CSST/IPTp-SP strategy may provide additional protection against both malaria and NMFs in infants during the first year of life, and suggest that malaria control interventions during pregnancy could have long-term benefits in infants.

Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Infectious Diseases
Volume217
Issue number12
Pages (from-to)1967-1976
Number of pages10
ISSN0022-1899
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2018

Keywords

  • Journal Article

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