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Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/149260
VAR2CSA Serology to Detect Plasmodium falciparum Transmission Patterns in Pregnancy
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Abstract
Pregnant women constitute a promising sentinel group for
continuous monitoring of malaria transmission. To identify
antibody signatures of recent Plasmodium falciparum exposure
during pregnancy, we dissected IgG responses against VAR2CSA,
the parasite antigen that mediates placental sequestration. We
used a multiplex peptide-based suspension array in 2,354 samples
from pregnant women from Mozambique, Benin, Kenya, Gabon,
Tanzania, and Spain. Two VAR2CSA peptides of limited
polymorphism were immunogenic and targeted by IgG responses
readily boosted during infection and with estimated half-lives
of <2 years. Seroprevalence against these peptides reflected
declines and rebounds of transmission in southern Mozambique
during 2004-2012, reduced exposure associated with use of
preventive measures during pregnancy, and local clusters of
transmission that were missed by detection of P. falciparum
infections. These data suggest that VAR2CSA serology can provide
a useful adjunct for the fine-scale estimation of the malaria
burden among pregnant women over time and space.
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FONSECA, Ana Maria, et al. VAR2CSA Serology to Detect Plasmodium falciparum Transmission Patterns in Pregnancy. Emerging Infectious Diseases. 2019. Vol. 25, num. 10, pags. 1851-1860. ISSN 1080-6040. [consulted: 17 of June of 2026]. Available at: https://hdl.handle.net/2445/149260