@article{ajidm20221022,
author={{Muganda, Andrew Kasiti and Okonjo, Edward Owiti and Nyariki, James Nyabuga and Yole, Dorcas Syokui},
title={<i>Schistosoma mansoni</i> Co-infection Decelerates Murine <i>Plasmodium berghei </i>ANKA<i> </i>Induced Inflammatory Response and Organ Damage},
journal={American Journal of Infectious Diseases and Microbiology},
volume={10},
number={2},
pages={58--69},
year={2022},
url={http://pubs.sciepub.com/ajidm/10/2/2},
issn={2328-4064},
abstract={Malaria is a severe infection caused by the <i>Plasmodium</i> parasite. It causes high mortality and morbidity, especially in the malaria endemic region<i>. </i>Schistosomiasis is caused by blood flukes and is the second leading parasitic infection after malaria in morbidity and mortality rate. These two infections are co-endemic in many areas. Both parasites have definitive and intermediate hosts and each utilizes the host protein differently. Each utilizes the host protein differently. The objective of this study was to determine the outcome of chronic <i>S. mansoni </i>infection in the regulation of <i>Plasmodium berghei </i>ANKA (<i>Pb</i>A) associated disease severity and pathological events in a mouse model. Mice were infected with 200 <i>Schistosoma mansoni </i>cercaria and later with 50000 <i>Pb</i>A infected red blood cells. Parasitemia was monitored on a two-day interval, to track the infection levels. Furthermore, relative organ weight, and inflammatory markers were quantified at the end of the study and analyzed at a <i>p</i> = 0.05. Chronic <i>S. mansoni</i> infection suppressed <i>Pb</i>A parasitemia. Meanwhile, co-infection with <i>S. mansoni</i> and <i>Pb</i>A protected against schistosomiasis induced hepatosplenomegaly. Moreover, induction of both schistosomiasis and malaria abrogated <i>Pb</i>A induced elevated levels of TNF-¦Á and IFN-¦Ã cytokines, associated with inflammation. Co-infection with <i>S. mansoni</i> and <i>Pb</i>A enhanced <i>Pb</i>A induced suppression of anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Standard histopathological analysis revealed that when mice were infected with <i>S. mansoni</i> or <i>Pb</i>A alone they had pronounced organ damage, which was assuaged by co-infection with both parasites. Findings from this study clearly reveals that co-infection with <i>S. mansoni</i> and <i>Pb</i>A, significantly protects mice against either <i>S. mansoni</i> or <i>Pb</i>A -driven inflammatory response and organ damage.},
doi={10.12691/ajidm-10-2-2}
publisher={Science and Education Publishing}
}