Mechanisms that reduce transmission of Plasmodium falciparum malaria in semiimmune and nonimmune persons

Transmission of Plasmodium falciparum can be reduced by immune factors present in the mosquito blood meal. Specific antibodies and white blood cells (WBCs) can interact with the sexual stages of the parasite inside the mosquito midgut. The relative contribution of serum factors and WBCs on transmission reduction in gametocyte carriers from an endemic area in Cameroon and in travelers with a first malaria experience was studied. Blood from these gametocyte carriers was fed to mosquitoes through membrane feeders after serum replacement, WBC depletion, or both. In most imported malaria cases, serum factors, WBCs, or both showed a significant effect on transmission reduction, while infectiousness of gametocyte carriers from Cameroon was reduced by humoral plasma factors only. In addition, the infectivity of gametocytes from semiimmune carriers was significantly lower compared with that of nonimmune carriers, and infectivity was independent of gametocyte density and the presence of WBCs or plasma factors (or both) in the blood meal.