Is malarial anaemia homologous to neocytolysis after altitude acclimatisation? Articles uri icon

authors

  • FERNANDEZ ARIAS, CRISTINA
  • FERNANDEZ ARIAS, CLEMENTE
  • RODRIGUEZ, ANA

publication date

  • January 2014

start page

  • 19

end page

  • 22

issue

  • 1

volume

  • 44

International Standard Serial Number (ISSN)

  • 0020-7519

Electronic International Standard Serial Number (EISSN)

  • 1879-0135

abstract

  • Malaria patients frequently develop severe anaemia that can persist after Plasmodium infection has been cleared from the circulation. This puzzling phenomenon involves massive death of young uninfected erythrocytes at a time when parasitic infection is very low. We have observed striking similarities in erythrocyte homoeostasis during altitude acclimatisation and Plasmodium infection, both of which initially induce an increase in circulating erythropoietin (Epo). Decreasing levels of Epo after return to low altitudes induce the death of young erythrocytes, a phenomenon called neocytolysis. In a similar way, we propose that Epo, which peaks during acute malaria and decreases after parasite clearance, could be contributing to anaemia causing neocytolysis during recovery from Plasmodium infection. (C) 2013 Australian Society for Parasitology Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

subjects

  • Mathematics

keywords

  • erythropoietin; acclimation; anemia; malaria; parasite; protozoan; altitude acclimatization; anemia; article; cell hypoxia; cytolysis; disease course; disease severity; erythrocyte metabolism; feedback system; human; malaria; neocytolysis; oxygen concentration; oxygen consumption; parasite clearance; pathophysiology; altitude acclimatisation; anaemia; malaria; neocytolysis; plasmodium