Changes in Lipid Profile Secondary to Asymptomatic Malaria in Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa: A Retrospective Analysis of a 2010–2022 Cohort

Altered lipid profiles have been observed in acute malaria, though mechanisms remain unclear. The impact of asymptomatic submicroscopic malaria infection (AMI) on lipids is unexploredAn observational, comparative, retrospective study was conducted of 1278 asymptomatic Sub-Saharan African migrants (A...

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Main Authors: Diego Gayoso-Cantero, María Dolores Corbacho-Loarte, Clara Crespillo-Andújar, Sandra Chamorro-Tojeiro, Francesca Norman, Jose A. Perez-Molina, Marta González-Sanz, Oihane Martín, José Miguel Rubio, Beatriz Gullón-Peña, Laura del Campo Albendea, Rogelio López-Vélez, Begoña Monge-Maillo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/10/5/134
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author Diego Gayoso-Cantero
María Dolores Corbacho-Loarte
Clara Crespillo-Andújar
Sandra Chamorro-Tojeiro
Francesca Norman
Jose A. Perez-Molina
Marta González-Sanz
Oihane Martín
José Miguel Rubio
Beatriz Gullón-Peña
Laura del Campo Albendea
Rogelio López-Vélez
Begoña Monge-Maillo
author_facet Diego Gayoso-Cantero
María Dolores Corbacho-Loarte
Clara Crespillo-Andújar
Sandra Chamorro-Tojeiro
Francesca Norman
Jose A. Perez-Molina
Marta González-Sanz
Oihane Martín
José Miguel Rubio
Beatriz Gullón-Peña
Laura del Campo Albendea
Rogelio López-Vélez
Begoña Monge-Maillo
author_sort Diego Gayoso-Cantero
collection DOAJ
description Altered lipid profiles have been observed in acute malaria, though mechanisms remain unclear. The impact of asymptomatic submicroscopic malaria infection (AMI) on lipids is unexploredAn observational, comparative, retrospective study was conducted of 1278 asymptomatic Sub-Saharan African migrants (ASSAMs) screened for malaria and lipid profiles during health exams (2010–2022). A systematic screening protocol for infectious disease was performed, including screening for <i>Plasmodium</i> spp. infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Among 800 ASSAMs screened for malaria, 104 (13%) were PCR-positive: <i>P. falciparum</i> (68.72%), <i>P. malariae</i> (18.27%), <i>P. ovale</i> (9.62%), and mixed infections (3.8%). Participants with AMIs exhibited lower baseline lipid levels: total cholesterol (146 vs. 163 mg/dL; <i>p</i> < 0.001), HDL (43 vs. 47 mg/dL; <i>p</i> < 0.001), and LDL (87.5 vs. 98 mg/dL; <i>p</i> < 0.001), with no differences in triglycerides. After treatment, lipid levels partially equalized: total cholesterol (156 vs. 166; <i>p</i> = 0.01), HDL (44 vs. 47.5; <i>p</i> = 0.05), LDL (102 vs. 108.5; <i>p</i> = 0.31), with no changes in triglycerides. Patients with AMI showed higher rates of co-infections (Strongyloides 20.61% vs. 14.35%; <i>p</i> < 0.001; filariae 7.69% vs. 1.91%; <i>p</i> = 0.02) and lower mean corpuscular volume (87.2 vs. 85; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings suggest that cholesterol reductions in AMI are not solely due to acute inflammation but may reflect chronic inflammatory processes triggered by asymptomatic malaria. This supports a potential link between AMI and lipid profile changes, underscoring its role in subclinical chronic inflammation.
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spelling doaj-art-5c6e7151df9341f2b90fcf2f8fb7a8d62025-08-20T03:47:58ZengMDPI AGTropical Medicine and Infectious Disease2414-63662025-05-0110513410.3390/tropicalmed10050134Changes in Lipid Profile Secondary to Asymptomatic Malaria in Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa: A Retrospective Analysis of a 2010–2022 CohortDiego Gayoso-Cantero0María Dolores Corbacho-Loarte1Clara Crespillo-Andújar2Sandra Chamorro-Tojeiro3Francesca Norman4Jose A. Perez-Molina5Marta González-Sanz6Oihane Martín7José Miguel Rubio8Beatriz Gullón-Peña9Laura del Campo Albendea10Rogelio López-Vélez11Begoña Monge-Maillo12National Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, SpainNational Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, SpainNational Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, SpainNational Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, SpainNational Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, SpainNational Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, SpainNational Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, SpainCIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, SpainNational Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28029 Madrid, SpainNational Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, SpainClinical Biostatistics Unit, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, IRYCIS, 28034 Madrid, SpainNational Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, SpainNational Referral Unit for Tropical Diseases, Infectious Diseases Department, Ramón y Cajal University Hospital, Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria (IRYCIS), 28034 Madrid, SpainAltered lipid profiles have been observed in acute malaria, though mechanisms remain unclear. The impact of asymptomatic submicroscopic malaria infection (AMI) on lipids is unexploredAn observational, comparative, retrospective study was conducted of 1278 asymptomatic Sub-Saharan African migrants (ASSAMs) screened for malaria and lipid profiles during health exams (2010–2022). A systematic screening protocol for infectious disease was performed, including screening for <i>Plasmodium</i> spp. infection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR).Among 800 ASSAMs screened for malaria, 104 (13%) were PCR-positive: <i>P. falciparum</i> (68.72%), <i>P. malariae</i> (18.27%), <i>P. ovale</i> (9.62%), and mixed infections (3.8%). Participants with AMIs exhibited lower baseline lipid levels: total cholesterol (146 vs. 163 mg/dL; <i>p</i> < 0.001), HDL (43 vs. 47 mg/dL; <i>p</i> < 0.001), and LDL (87.5 vs. 98 mg/dL; <i>p</i> < 0.001), with no differences in triglycerides. After treatment, lipid levels partially equalized: total cholesterol (156 vs. 166; <i>p</i> = 0.01), HDL (44 vs. 47.5; <i>p</i> = 0.05), LDL (102 vs. 108.5; <i>p</i> = 0.31), with no changes in triglycerides. Patients with AMI showed higher rates of co-infections (Strongyloides 20.61% vs. 14.35%; <i>p</i> < 0.001; filariae 7.69% vs. 1.91%; <i>p</i> = 0.02) and lower mean corpuscular volume (87.2 vs. 85; <i>p</i> < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings suggest that cholesterol reductions in AMI are not solely due to acute inflammation but may reflect chronic inflammatory processes triggered by asymptomatic malaria. This supports a potential link between AMI and lipid profile changes, underscoring its role in subclinical chronic inflammation.https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/10/5/134malaria<i>Plasmodium</i>asymptomatic infectionlipid profilecholesterolSub-Saharan Africa
spellingShingle Diego Gayoso-Cantero
María Dolores Corbacho-Loarte
Clara Crespillo-Andújar
Sandra Chamorro-Tojeiro
Francesca Norman
Jose A. Perez-Molina
Marta González-Sanz
Oihane Martín
José Miguel Rubio
Beatriz Gullón-Peña
Laura del Campo Albendea
Rogelio López-Vélez
Begoña Monge-Maillo
Changes in Lipid Profile Secondary to Asymptomatic Malaria in Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa: A Retrospective Analysis of a 2010–2022 Cohort
Tropical Medicine and Infectious Disease
malaria
<i>Plasmodium</i>
asymptomatic infection
lipid profile
cholesterol
Sub-Saharan Africa
title Changes in Lipid Profile Secondary to Asymptomatic Malaria in Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa: A Retrospective Analysis of a 2010–2022 Cohort
title_full Changes in Lipid Profile Secondary to Asymptomatic Malaria in Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa: A Retrospective Analysis of a 2010–2022 Cohort
title_fullStr Changes in Lipid Profile Secondary to Asymptomatic Malaria in Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa: A Retrospective Analysis of a 2010–2022 Cohort
title_full_unstemmed Changes in Lipid Profile Secondary to Asymptomatic Malaria in Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa: A Retrospective Analysis of a 2010–2022 Cohort
title_short Changes in Lipid Profile Secondary to Asymptomatic Malaria in Migrants from Sub-Saharan Africa: A Retrospective Analysis of a 2010–2022 Cohort
title_sort changes in lipid profile secondary to asymptomatic malaria in migrants from sub saharan africa a retrospective analysis of a 2010 2022 cohort
topic malaria
<i>Plasmodium</i>
asymptomatic infection
lipid profile
cholesterol
Sub-Saharan Africa
url https://www.mdpi.com/2414-6366/10/5/134
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