Salmonella Infection’s Risk High in Malaria Patients

London: Scientists have found through a study that Malaria patients are at a high risk of developing Salmonella infection. It is due to the generalized immunosuppression by malaria in lieu of protecting the body from the mosquito borne disease.  By virtue of the immunosuppression, the entire immune system is compromised and weakened.

The scientists have popularly described the defence mechanism as a trade-off owing to the fact that as the body prepares itself to fight one enemy, it exposes itself to another. The result was an outcome of a study that explored the connection between non-typhoid salmonella and malaria. Salmonella is the kind of infection that is especially dangerous for children.

Malaria, in itself, is considered an immunosuppressive disease that if once contracted makes the victim vulnerable to different kinds of fatal infections. As the body fights the mosquito borne disease, it cripples the production of white-blood cells that are intrinsic to fight NTS. Therefore, the lack of white blood cells lets the bacteria to spread freely. The research team found that Tin Protoporphyrin could be used as efficient candidate in fighting for the protection of the body against salmonella infection though careful testing is required before one can consider the use of SnPP in humans. The study also revealed that the activity of the heme oxygenase enzyme is inhibited by the SnPP, thereby overturning the susceptibility to salmonellosis in malaria infections. The study funded by The Medical Research Council was published in Nature Medicine.