Comparative morphology of human and animal malaria parasites

Comparative morphology of human and animal malaria parasites

U.  Mackenstedt, C. Brockelman, H. Mehlhorn and W. Raether

                Special fixations and standardized methods were used to compare human and animal malaria parasites Plasmodium falciparum, P. malariae, P. vivax, P. berghei, P. gallinaceum to compare morphological traits. Parasitized host cell walls  were essentially observed as well as morphological alterations to the host erythrocytes such as knobs, invaginations, and caveola- vesicle complexes on cell membrane surfaces ( Mackenstedt et  al. 1989)

            Blood from infected patients and animals were analyzed using transmission microscopy. K₃Fe(CN)₆ was added to the blood- osmium solution to emphasize the membrane transformation. All Plasmodium spp. species, displayed significant alterations to the parasitized erythrocytes that are not seen in infected ones. Specifically P. vivax exhibited micro vesicles with a limited cellular membrane of 40-60nm. Parasitized erythrocytes that were in their last stage of differentiation contained numerous clefts that densely filled the cytoplasm                       (Mackenstedt et al. 1989).

            Numerous caveola-vesicle complexes found in P. vivax are shown to be responsible for Schuffners dots on infected erythrocytes. Present ultra-structural studies have concluded that P. vivax is the only species that demonstrates stippling (Schuffners dots) due to numerous small vesicles in the cytoplasm(Mackenstedt et al. 1989). Examining the species- specific morphological alterations to infected erythrocytes induced by infections of P. vivax morphologies of Plasmodium species will further broaden our knowledge on the behavior of malaria species as well as aid in the discovery of better treatment for the devastating infection.

1.      U., Mackenstedt, C.,  Brockelman, H.,  Mehlhorn & W.,  Raether. 1989. Comparative morphology of human and animal malaria parasites. Parasitol Res. 75:528-535.