Anti-erythrocyte autoimmunisation during chronic falciparum malaria

Lancet. 1981 Sep 26;2(8248):661-4. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(81)90998-3.

Abstract

Anaemia during malaria is not completely understood. Fourteen cases of antierythrocyte autoimmunisation with anti-I specificity were investigated in a Paris hospital during a period of 2 years. The patients lived in Gabon and had not been taking antimalarial chemoprophylaxis. All had chronic malaria (strongly positive antimalarial immunofluorescent antibody tests). All the recognised caused for anti-erythrocyte autoimmunity were excluded. One possible explanation for these observations is some sort of interaction between I antigen and Plasmodium, the result of which facilitated penetration of the erythrocyte by the malarial parasite.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / complications
  • Anemia, Hemolytic, Autoimmune / immunology*
  • Autoantibodies / analysis
  • Chronic Disease
  • Erythrocytes / immunology
  • Erythrocytes / parasitology
  • Female
  • Gabon
  • Humans
  • Immunization
  • Malaria / complications*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Plasmodium falciparum

Substances

  • Autoantibodies