Falciparum malaria in naturally infected Saudi patients: high level endotoxemia in the venous blood infected with escherichia coli

ABSTRACT

During examination by transmission electron microscopy [TEM] of venous blood samples from twelve Saudi patients who were heavily infected with the human falciparum malaria parasite, three blood samples [25%] were found to contain numerous single, rod-shaped microorganism-like bacteria. Bacteriological tests identified these microorganisms as Escherichia coil, their confident limit of identification being 98%. Examination by TEM of the cultured bacteria has also identified their typical ultrastructural features. Detection of E. coli in the three blood samples has encouraged the examination for the occurence of endotoxaemia by the amoebocyte limulus lysate test. Endotoxin was likely detected and its level was found to be remarkably higher in blood samples infected with both the malaria parasite and bacteria than those only infected with the parasite, while none was detected in samples from five healthy volunteers. These findings suggest the possible responsibility of E. coli in increasing the endotoxaemia level in the blood of patients infected with falciparum malaria