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Am. J. Trop. Med. Hyg., 75(3), 2006, pp. 434-436
Copyright © 2006 by The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

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SHORT REPORT


THROMBOCYTOPENIA IN FALCIPARUM MALARIA IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF IL-10

CLIMENT CASALS-PASCUAL, OSCAR KAI, CHARLES R. J. C. NEWTON, NORBERT PESHU, AND DAVID J. ROBERTS*
Nuffield Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences and National Blood Service Oxford Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, United Kingdom; KEMRI Centre for Geographic Medicine Coast, Kilifi, Kenya; Neurosciences Unit, Institute for Child Health, London, United Kingdom

 

ABSTRACT

Over the last decade, a number of observations have suggested that platelets may play a role in the pathophysiology of severe malaria. However, somewhat paradoxically, thrombocytopenia is not associated clearly with outcome. We studied the relationship between thrombocytopenia and cytokines in Kenyan children with severe malaria and showed that thrombocytopenia (platelet count < 150 x 109/L) strongly correlates with high levels of interleukin (IL)-10. Several studies have shown that high levels of IL-10 are associated with a favorable outcome in severe malaria. Taken together, these data suggest why thrombocytopenia has a complex relationship with severe disease and suggest one mechanism whereby IL-10 may modify the outcome of severe disease.

Received March 2, 2006. Accepted for publication May 18, 2006.

Acknowledgments: C.C-P has been supported by the University of Oxford and a BEFI grant (ISCIII, Ministry of Health, Spain). D.J.R is supported by the National Blood Service, the Howard Hughes Memorial Institute, and EuBioMalPar NoE. The research was carried out in part at the NBS-Oxford Centre and benefits from NHS R&D funding. The Centre for Geographic Medicine Coast is supported by core funds from the Wellcome Trust, UK and the Kenyan Institute of Medical Research.

* Address correspondence to David J. Roberts, National Blood Service Oxford Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX39BQ, UK. E-mail: david.roberts{at}ndcls.ox.ac.uk

Authors’ addresses: Climent Casals-Pascual and David J. Roberts, Blood Research Laboratory, National Blood Service Oxford Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford OX39BQ, UK. Oscar Kai, Charles RJC Newton, and Norbert Peshu, KEMRI Centre for Geographic Medicine Coast, PO Box 230, Kilifi, Kenya.






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Copyright © 2006 by the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene.