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New research suggests vitamin A may reduce the risk of malaria in young children.
The study showed that children under 5 living in sub-Saharan Africa were 54% less likely to develop malaria if they had been given a single, large dose of vitamin A.
The finding, published in eLife, indicates that vitamin A may be able to protect children from the malaria parasite, especially if administered during the wet season, when malaria-infected mosquitos are most prevalent.
“Now, we need to test vitamin A in a randomized, controlled, clinical trial to better understand whether this could really be an effective way to prevent this disease,” said study author Maria-Graciela Hollm-Delgado, PhD, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.
Dr Hollm-Delgado and her colleagues analyzed national survey data from 4 sub-Saharan countries—Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal—on children between the ages of 6 months and 59 months.
The goal was to determine the risk of Plasmodium parasitemia (n=8390) and Plasmodium falciparum-specific antigenemia (n=6121) following vitamin A supplementation and vaccinations.
The researchers found the measles and polio vaccines were not associated with malaria. And Bacille Calmette Guerin vaccination was associated with an increased risk of antigenemia (relative risk [RR]=4.06) but not parasitemia.
Only vitamin A was protective against malaria. Children who received vitamin A were less likely to present with parasitemia (RR=0.46) and antigenemia (RR=0.23).
Vitamin A appeared to be more protective under certain circumstances, including when administered during the rainy season, as well as when given to older children and when more time had passed since supplementation.
The researchers aren’t certain why vitamin A would reduce the rate of malaria infection, but they suspect it is because vitamin A, which is known to boost immunity and improve the ability to fight off infection, may help the body clear out the malaria parasite more quickly.
Only 62% of children in the study had received vitamin A supplementation, even though World Health Organization guidelines recommend that all children in sub-Saharan Africa receive a single, large dose of vitamin A.
Rates were higher for many vaccinations, Dr Hollm-Delgado said, noting that the guidelines for vitamin A aren’t as specific as they are for most vaccinations. 
Photo by Sarah Mattison
New research suggests vitamin A may reduce the risk of malaria in young children.
The study showed that children under 5 living in sub-Saharan Africa were 54% less likely to develop malaria if they had been given a single, large dose of vitamin A.
The finding, published in eLife, indicates that vitamin A may be able to protect children from the malaria parasite, especially if administered during the wet season, when malaria-infected mosquitos are most prevalent.
“Now, we need to test vitamin A in a randomized, controlled, clinical trial to better understand whether this could really be an effective way to prevent this disease,” said study author Maria-Graciela Hollm-Delgado, PhD, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.
Dr Hollm-Delgado and her colleagues analyzed national survey data from 4 sub-Saharan countries—Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal—on children between the ages of 6 months and 59 months.
The goal was to determine the risk of Plasmodium parasitemia (n=8390) and Plasmodium falciparum-specific antigenemia (n=6121) following vitamin A supplementation and vaccinations.
The researchers found the measles and polio vaccines were not associated with malaria. And Bacille Calmette Guerin vaccination was associated with an increased risk of antigenemia (relative risk [RR]=4.06) but not parasitemia.
Only vitamin A was protective against malaria. Children who received vitamin A were less likely to present with parasitemia (RR=0.46) and antigenemia (RR=0.23).
Vitamin A appeared to be more protective under certain circumstances, including when administered during the rainy season, as well as when given to older children and when more time had passed since supplementation.
The researchers aren’t certain why vitamin A would reduce the rate of malaria infection, but they suspect it is because vitamin A, which is known to boost immunity and improve the ability to fight off infection, may help the body clear out the malaria parasite more quickly.
Only 62% of children in the study had received vitamin A supplementation, even though World Health Organization guidelines recommend that all children in sub-Saharan Africa receive a single, large dose of vitamin A.
Rates were higher for many vaccinations, Dr Hollm-Delgado said, noting that the guidelines for vitamin A aren’t as specific as they are for most vaccinations.
Photo by Sarah Mattison
New research suggests vitamin A may reduce the risk of malaria in young children.
The study showed that children under 5 living in sub-Saharan Africa were 54% less likely to develop malaria if they had been given a single, large dose of vitamin A.
The finding, published in eLife, indicates that vitamin A may be able to protect children from the malaria parasite, especially if administered during the wet season, when malaria-infected mosquitos are most prevalent.
“Now, we need to test vitamin A in a randomized, controlled, clinical trial to better understand whether this could really be an effective way to prevent this disease,” said study author Maria-Graciela Hollm-Delgado, PhD, of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore, Maryland.
Dr Hollm-Delgado and her colleagues analyzed national survey data from 4 sub-Saharan countries—Burkina Faso, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Senegal—on children between the ages of 6 months and 59 months.
The goal was to determine the risk of Plasmodium parasitemia (n=8390) and Plasmodium falciparum-specific antigenemia (n=6121) following vitamin A supplementation and vaccinations.
The researchers found the measles and polio vaccines were not associated with malaria. And Bacille Calmette Guerin vaccination was associated with an increased risk of antigenemia (relative risk [RR]=4.06) but not parasitemia.
Only vitamin A was protective against malaria. Children who received vitamin A were less likely to present with parasitemia (RR=0.46) and antigenemia (RR=0.23).
Vitamin A appeared to be more protective under certain circumstances, including when administered during the rainy season, as well as when given to older children and when more time had passed since supplementation.
The researchers aren’t certain why vitamin A would reduce the rate of malaria infection, but they suspect it is because vitamin A, which is known to boost immunity and improve the ability to fight off infection, may help the body clear out the malaria parasite more quickly.
Only 62% of children in the study had received vitamin A supplementation, even though World Health Organization guidelines recommend that all children in sub-Saharan Africa receive a single, large dose of vitamin A.
Rates were higher for many vaccinations, Dr Hollm-Delgado said, noting that the guidelines for vitamin A aren’t as specific as they are for most vaccinations.