Non-specific immunity in patients suffering from Malaria

Fifty four cases of malaria, 30 cases of non-malarial pyrexia and 25 normal controls were studied to find any correlation between malaria and non-specific immunity. The parameters studied were phagocytic capacity of neurophils and the nitroblue tetrazolium reduction test. The results and observations made in most of these cases were inconsistent and not conclusive. Among the parameters for non-specific defence mechanisms of the body, the only significant observation was that the phagocytic index in malarial cases was low as compared to normal controls. On the contrary, a fair number of the malarial group revealed increased rate of nitroblue tetrazolium reduction as compared to normal controls and those having non-malarial pyrexia