Role of immune mediators in the pathology of experimental murine cerebral malaria

Abstract

Cerebral malaria (CM) is the most common presentation of lethal malaria in humans, arising predominantly from Plasmodium falciparum infection. Symptoms tend to be rapid in onset and range from mild behavioural changes and confusion, to hemiplegia, seizures and coma. Although mortality is high, others will recover rapidly, even from deep coma, with little or no permanent neurological damage. The pathogenesis of this condition is still poorly understood, although high levels of circulating inflammatory cytokines present at the time of cerebral symptoms suggest that an aberrant immune response may be a critical mechanism involved.