Which disorder causes a natural immunity to Malaria?
atural defence mechanisms (or innate factors) against malaria are most apparent in populations continually exposed to malaria parasites. For example, inherited conditions such as sickle cell anaemia and beta-thalassaemia, which cause deformities in red blood cells and are common in people from malarious regions, make it more difficult for malaria parasites to infect red blood cells.
Some people have red blood cells that lack proteins called Duffy antigens on their surface. These proteins act as receptors for Plasmodium vivax merozoites, so people without Duffy antigens are resistant to infection from this parasite.
* Natural
The disorder that causes a natural immunity to malaria is called sickle cell trait (SCT). To understand how SCT provides protection against malaria, it's important to know a few things about the disease.
Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium that is transmitted through the bites of infected mosquitoes. The parasite infects and destroys red blood cells, leading to symptoms such as fever, chills, and fatigue. However, individuals with SCT have a genetic trait that provides some level of defense against malaria.
Sickle cell trait is a genetic condition that occurs when a person inherits one copy of the abnormal hemoglobin gene from one parent and one normal hemoglobin gene from the other parent. Hemoglobin is a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen throughout the body. In individuals with SCT, their red blood cells can change shape and become sickle-shaped under certain conditions, hence the name.
The reason why SCT plays a role in protection against malaria is related to the sickle-shaped red blood cells. When a person with SCT is infected with the malaria parasite, the sickle-shaped red blood cells are not as favorable for the parasite's growth and reproduction. As a result, the parasite has a harder time surviving in the bloodstream and causing severe malaria symptoms.
It's worth noting that having sickle cell disease (SCD), which occurs when a person inherits two abnormal hemoglobin genes, provides even greater resistance to malaria. However, SCD can also lead to serious health complications, while SCT tends to be less severe.
In summary, sickle cell trait (SCT) provides a level of natural immunity to malaria by making it difficult for the malaria parasite to survive and reproduce in the bloodstream.