Antibodies that induce phagocytosis of malaria infected erythrocytes: Effect of HIV infection and correlation with clinical outcomes

HIV infection increases the burden of disease of malaria in pregnancy, in part by impairing the development of immunity. We measured total IgG and phagocytic antibodies against variant surface antigens of placental-type CS2 parasites in 187 secundigravidae (65% HIV infected). In women with placental malaria infection, phagocytic antibodies to CS2 VSA were decreased in the presence of HIV (p = 0.011) and correlated positively with infant birth weight (coef = 3.57, p = 0.025), whereas total IgG to CS2 VSA did not. Phagocytic antibodies to CS2 VSA are valuable tools to study acquired immunity to malaria in the context of HIV co-infection. Secundigravidae may be an informative group for identification of correlates of immunity. © 2011 Ataíde et al.