Cellular Immunity in Pregnant and Non-Pregnant Women with Malarial Infection

Abstract

A study of lymphocyte subpopulation and leucocyte migration inhibition index (LMI) in 78 pregnant and 22 nonpregnant women with malarial infection (P. vivax 60% and P. falciparum 40%) was done in a hospital in Northern India. Eighty pregnant and 20 nonpregnant women without any infection were also included in the study as controls. T-cell percentage in controls decreased to its lowest in first trimester and gradually rose to nonpregnant levels by the end of puerperium. With malarial infection, there was further drop in T-cell percentage, more so in third trimester. LMI in controls corresponded with T-cell percentage and was depressed in pregnant patients. Enhancement in LMI with malarial infection was depressed in pregnant patients maximally in the third trimester. Parity did not have any influence on these cellular immune parameters. Thus, cellular immunity status in malarial patients was found to be depressed during pregnancy especially in the third trimester.