Plasmodium malariae infection boosts Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte production.
We analyzed records of malaria therapy patients sequentially or simultaneously inoculated with Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium malariae. Gametocyte production was enhanced in P. falciparum by prior or concurrent P. malariae infection but diminished or unaffected in P. malariae by P. falciparum. Conversely, asexual-form production was diminished in P. malariae but unaffected in P. falciparum.
McKenzie
F Ellis
FE
Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA. mckenzel@mail.nih.gov
Jeffery
Geoffrey M
GM
Collins
William E
WE
D000818:Animals; D009033:Culicidae / Q000469:parasitology; D005718:Gametogenesis; D006801:Humans; D008288:Malaria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000502:physiology*; D010965:Plasmodium malariae / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D012100:Reproduction, Asexual