Exploring the host factors affecting asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum infection: insights from a rural Burkina Faso study

BACKGROUND: Asymptomatic Plasmodium falciparum parasitaemia forms a reservoir for the transmission of malaria disease in West Africa. Certain haemoglobin variants are known to protect against severe malaria infection. However, data on the potential roles of haemoglobin variants and nongenetic factors in asymptomatic malaria infection is scarce and controversial. Therefore, this study investigated the associations of iron homeostasis, inflammation, nutrition, and haemoglobin mutations with parasitaemia in an asymptomatic cohort from a P. falciparum-endemic region during the high transmission season. METHODS: A sub-study population of 688 asymptomatic individuals (predominantly children and adolescents under 15 years, n = 516) from rural Burkina Faso previously recruited by the NOVAC trial (NCT03176719) between June and October 2017 was analysed. Parasitaemia was quantified with conventional haemocytometry. The haemoglobin genotype was determined by reverse hybridization assays targeting a selection of 21 HBA and 22 HBB mutations. Demographics, inflammatory markers (interleukins 6 and 10, hepcidin), nutritional status (mid upper-arm circumference and body mass index), and anaemia (total haemoglobin, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor) were assessed as potential predictors through logistic regression. RESULTS: Malaria parasites were detected in 56% of subjects. Parasitaemia was associated most strongly with malnutrition. The effect size increased with malnutrition severity (OR = 6.26, CI(95): 2.45–19.4, p < 0.001). Furthermore, statistically significant associations (p < 0.05) with age, cytokines, hepcidin and heterozygous haemoglobin S were observed. CONCLUSIONS: According to these findings, asymptomatic parasitaemia is attenuated by haemoglobin S, but not by any of the other detected genotypes. Aside from evidence for slight iron imbalance, overall undernutrition was found to predict parasitaemia; thus, further investigations are required to elucidate causality and inform strategies for interventions. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12936-023-04686-0.