Immunological evaluation of cell-mediated and humoral immunity in Thai patients with cerebral and non cerebral Plasmodium falciparum malaria: II. Evolution of serum levels of immunoglobulins, antimalarial antibodies, complement fractions and alpha interferon.

In Thai patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria, IgG and IgM values were elevated, whereas IgA levels were within normal ranges. No association of Ig values with parasitaemia was noted. IFA-IgM antibody levels were lower in cerebral malaria (CM) than in the non cerebral malaria (NCM) group. IFA-IgG antibodies were present in all patients. The mean C3 and C4 values were similar among patients from the CM and NCM groups. Interferon like activity was detected in all CM and NCM patients, and no correlation was found with either antimalarial antibodies, complement or parasitaemia.

Immunological evaluation of cell-mediated and humoral immunity in Thai patients with cerebral and non-cerebral Plasmodium falciparum malaria: I. Cutaneous delayed hypersensitivity, blood leukocytes and in vitro lymphocyte responses.

In Thai patients with acute P. falciparum malaria including cerebral cases, cell mediated immune functions were studied in vivo and in vitro. Initial cutaneous delayed reactions to phytohaemagglutinin and soluble protein antigens were negative in most cerebral malaria patients. No major alteration of the number of circulating T and B cells was observed. In lymphocytes cultures, proliferatives responses to lectins or protein antigens were generally found within normal ranges. This study shows a direct role of P. falciparum on the impairment of cell mediated immunity.