Paucity of Plasmodium vivax mature schizonts in peripheral blood is associated with their increased cytoadhesive potential.

Lopes, Stefanie C P; Albrecht, Letusa; Carvalho, Bruna O; Siqueira, André M; Thomson-Luque, Richard; Nogueira, Paulo A; Fernandez-Becerra, Carmen; Del Portillo, Hernando A et al. · J Infect Dis · 2014

basic_science · Level V

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Abstract

There is now a growing body of evidence that challenges the current view that Plasmodium vivax-infected erythrocyte (Pv-iE) are unable to sequester. Here we used ex vivo adhesion assays with Pv-iE before and after maturation to demonstrate a higher binding potential of schizonts compared to other asexual stages. These experimental results are correlated with our observations in a panel of 50 vivax malaria patients where schizonts were completely absent in 27 isolates, and few schizonts were observed in the remaining patients. These observations prompt a paradigm shift in P. vivax biology and open avenues to investigate the role of Pv-iE sequestration.

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