A Primate Model for Severe Human Malaria with Cerebral Involvement: Plasmodium coatneyi-Infected Macaca fuscata

Satoru Kawai Department of Parasitology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Maebashi, Japan

Search for other papers by Satoru Kawai in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Masamichi Aikawa Department of Parasitology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Maebashi, Japan

Search for other papers by Masamichi Aikawa in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
,
Shigeyuki Kano Department of Parasitology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Maebashi, Japan

Search for other papers by Shigeyuki Kano in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
, and
Mamoru Suzuki Department of Parasitology, Gunma University School of Medicine, Institute of Pathology, Case Western Reserve University, Maebashi, Japan

Search for other papers by Mamoru Suzuki in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed Close
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.4269/ajtmh.1993.48.630
Volume/Issue:
Volume 48: Issue 5
Page(s):
630ā€“636
Restricted access
Get Permissions

To develop an animal model for severe human malaria, we carried out clinical and pathologic observations of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata) infected with Plasmodium coatneyi. Two monkeys, eight and nine months of age, were used in this experiment. After inoculation with the parasite, both monkeys developed a fulminating acute infection with high parasitemia (20ā€“28.2%) and became moribund with typical signs of severe malaria. In the splenectomized Japanese monkey, sequestered infected erythrocytes blocked brain capillaries. Electron microscopic studies on brain tissues revealed electron-dense knobs protruding from the membrane of infected erythrocytes that formed focal junctions with the cerebral capillary endothelial cells. These findings were remarkably similar to those seen in human cases. Prominent sequestration of the infected erythrocytes was uniformly distributed in capillaries of the lungs and heart. The non-splenectomized Japanese monkey developed acute anemia with a packed cell volume of 6%, but blockage of brain capillaries was minimal. However, sequestered, infected erythrocytes were evident in capillaries of the heart and lungs of this animal. Our study showed that the Japanese monkey is highly susceptible to P. coatneyi infection and that this system provides a model for the study of severe human malaria.
Copyright:
Copyright Ā© 1993 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene 1993
Published Online:
May 1993
Cover The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene
Print ISSN:
0002-9637
Past two years Past Year Past 30 Days
Abstract Views 348 189 4
Full Text Views 18 2 0
PDF Downloads 17 2 0
 
Membership Banner
 
 
 
Affiliate Membership Banner
 
 
Research for Health Information Banner
 
 
CLOCKSS
 
 
 
Society Publishers Coalition Banner
Save