Effect of iron fortification on igg responses Against malaria vaccine candidate antigens among Ghanaian children

Abstract

Malaria continues to pose a substantial worldwide health concern, with emphasis on its prevalence in sub-Saharan Africa. The WHO recommended adding iron supplements to children's diets in highly prevalent malaria regions. However, the effect of iron fortification on the immune response of P. falciparum remains debated. While some studies suggest that iron supplements protect against malaria, others indicate that it may worsen infant malaria infection. This study aimed to investigate the effect of iron fortification on IgG responses against malaria vaccine candidate antigens among Ghanaian children. The study employed 400 randomly selected archival samples of children aged 6 to 36 months collected between April and May 2010 in Wenchi and Tain Municipalities from a double-blinded cluster-randomized control trial. Participants with haemoglobin <7g/dL, on food supplements before the commencement of the study, and exhibited a severe form of anaemia were excluded. The measurement of immunoglobulin G levels to GLURP R0, GLURP R2, and MSP-3 recombinant antigens was conducted using indirect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). The results showed no significant differences in IgG responses between patients with and without malaria infection in the iron group. However, the results showed significantly higher levels of IgG responses among malaria-positive individuals than malaria-negative individuals in the non-iron group. Also, the study recorded significantly higher IgG responses against GLURP R2 and MSP-3 antigens in the non-iron group compared to the iron group with malaria-positive status. Results also showed no significant differences in parasitaemia's impact on IgG antibodies. The findings of this investigation indicate that iron fortification substantially downregulates IgG responses against GLURP R2 and MSP-3 malaria vaccine candidate antigens among individuals with malaria, thus increasing malaria severity. Further research with a larger sample size is required to understand the intricate relationships between iron fortification, malaria, and immune responses.