A histological method for quantifying Plasmodium falciparum in the brain in fatal paediatric cerebral malaria.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The sequestration of Plasmodium falciparum-infected erythrocytes in brain microvasculature through cytoadherence to endothelium, is the hallmark of the definitive diagnosis of cerebral malaria and plays a critical role in malaria pathogenesis. The complex pathophysiology, which leads each patient to the final outcome of cerebral malaria, is multifaceted and thus, metrics to delineate specific patterns within cerebral malaria are needed to further parse patients.

Methods

A method was developed for quantification utilizing counts of capillary contents (early-stage parasites, late-stage parasites and fibrin) from histological preparations of brain tissue after death, and compared it to the standard approach, in which the percentage of parasitized vessels in cross-sec

SUBMITTER: Milner DA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3701562 | biostudies-literature | 2013 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature