Longitudinal serological study of malaria in infants in the West African savanna. Comparisons in infants exposed to, or protected from, transmission from birth.

Two infant populations, the one exposed to intense malaria transmission and the other protected, were followed and compared by six serological tests. The IgG and IgM levels increased with age and were systematically, though only slightly, lower in the protected children. The results of three Plasmodium falciparum tests (precipitin, indirect fluorescent antibody (IFA) and indirect haemagglutination and one P. malariae test (IFA) were high at birth and decreased rapidly afterwards in both populations. In the unprotected population, this decrease was followed by an increase, closely associated with the parasitological findings, while in the protected population the decrease continued to very low levels.