Immunology of Infectious Disease Commons^™

Plasmodium Suppresses T Cell Responses To Heterologous Infections By Impairing T Cell Activation, Chelsi Elizabeth White

Masters Theses

Malaria is a devastating disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium. Plasmodium falciparum, which is responsible for most malaria related fatalities, suppresses host immune responses during heterologous coinfections or following vaccination. However the mechanisms responsible for this defect are not well defined. The mechanism and to what extent this immunosuppression is occurring was investigated. This study demonstrates that both dendritic cell and T cell activation are impaired following a Plasmodium infection, ultimately altering the adaptive T cell response to secondary infections. T cell suppression is evident early on following a secondary infection and continues throughout the peak of parasitemia. …