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    Trends Parasitol. 2009 Jul;25(7):314-8. Epub 2009 Jun 21.

    Is human malarial coma caused, or merely deepened, by sequestration?

    Source

    School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia. ian.clark@anu.edu.au

    Abstract

    Much research into falciparum malaria coma assumes the primary event to be vascular obstruction by parasitized red blood cells. Recent evidence that vivax malaria, caused by a parasite traditionally thought not to block blood flow, seems to alter brain function to the same degree as falciparum malaria has seriously questioned this. These data are a timely call to reassess whether vascular obstruction should still be considered the primary cause of the coma of falciparum disease. They add to a growing literature that suggests that enhancement of brain-origin cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor, by non-brain systemic inflammation and an appreciation of the degree to which neuronal homeostasis depends on them provide a more fruitful research direction.

    PMID:
    19541540
    [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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