Effect of Brugia pahangi co-infection with Plasmodium berghei ANKA in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

Junaid, Olawale Quazim and Vythilingam, Indra and Khaw, Loke Tim and Sivanandam, Sinnadurai and Mahmud, Rohela (2020) Effect of Brugia pahangi co-infection with Plasmodium berghei ANKA in gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus). Parasitology Research, 119 (4). pp. 1301-1315. ISSN 0932-0113, DOI https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06632-4.

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Abstract

Malaria and lymphatic filariasis (LF) are two leading and common mosquito-borne parasitic diseases worldwide. These two diseases are co-endemic in many tropical and sub-tropical regions and are known to share vectors. The interactions between malaria and filarial parasites are poorly understood. Thus, this study aimed at establishing the interactions that occur between Brugia pahangi and Plasmodium berghei ANKA (PbA) co-infection in gerbils. Briefly, the gerbils were matched according to age, sex, and weight and grouped into filarial-only infection, PbA-only infection, co-infection, and control group. The parasitemia, survival and clinical assessment of the gerbils were monitored for a period of 30 days post Plasmodium infection. The immune responses of gerbils to both mono and co-infection were monitored. Findings show that co-infected gerbils have higher survival rate than PbA-infected gerbils. Food and water consumption were significantly reduced in both PbA-infected and co-infected gerbils, although loss of body weight, hypothermia, and anemia were less severe in co-infected gerbils. Plasmodium-infected gerbils also suffered hypoglycemia, which was not observed in co-infected gerbils. Furthermore, gerbil cytokine responses to co-infection were significantly higher than PbA-only-infected gerbils, which is being suggested as a factor for their increased longevity. Co-infected gerbils had significantly elicited interleukin-4, interferon-gamma, and tumor necrotic factor at early stage of infection than PbA-infected gerbils. Findings from this study suggest that B. pahangi infection protect against severe anemia and hypoglycemia, which are manifestations of PbA infection.

Item Type: Article
Funders: Ministry of Higher Education FRGS [FP002-2014B], University of Malaya students grant [PG 139-2014B]
Uncontrolled Keywords: Gerbil; Plasmodium berghei ANKA; Brugia pahangi; Co-infection; Cytokines
Subjects: R Medicine
Divisions: Faculty of Medicine
Depositing User: Ms Zaharah Ramly
Date Deposited: 04 Oct 2023 08:00
Last Modified: 04 Oct 2023 08:00
URI: http://eprints.um.edu.my/id/eprint/36813

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