PLACENTAL ANTIBODY TRANSFER - INFLUENCE OF MATERNAL HIV-INFECTION ANDPLACENTAL MALARIA

Aim-To determine the influence of placental malaria, maternal HIV infe ction, and maternal hypergammaglobulinaemia on transplacental IgG anti body transfer. Methods-One hundred and eighty materno-neonatal pairs f rom a Malawian population were assessed. Cord and maternal serum sampl es were tested for total serum IgG antibody titres using nephelometry, and for specific Ige antibody titres to Streptococcus pneumoniae, mea sles, and tetanus toroid antibodies using an enzyme linked immunsorben t assay (ELISA). Results-Multiple regression analyses showed that plac ental malaria was associated with a decrease in placental IgG antibody transfer to S pneumoniae sand measles to 82% and 81%, respectively. M aternal HIV infection was associated with a reduction in IgG antibody transfer to S pneumoniae to 79%; raised maternal total serum IgG titre s were correlated with S pneumoniae and measles IgG antibody transfer reduction to 86% and 87%, respectively. No effect was seen with tetanu s toroid antibody transfer. Conclusion-The combined influence of place ntal malaria, maternal HIV infection, and maternal hypergammaglobulina emia seems to be linked to the low transplacental antibody transfer ob served in the Malawian population.