C-Reactive protein in malaria

Abstract

SYNOPSIS C-Reactive protein has not been studied in malaria so far but with the reappearance *of malaria in the southern part of Iran there is now an opportunity to study the behaviour of C-reactive protein in malaria. One hundred and sixty-two patients suffering from malaria have been so tested. Of those patients, 85-2% showed a positive result and among them more than 50% had a strongly positive reaction. It may be concluded that malaria is one of the outstanding diseases in which the C-reactive protein test is positive. Those patients who were examined for C-reactive protein in the first two days of the disease showed a negative result.

Deletion of C-reactive protein ameliorates experimental cerebral malaria?

“…The mechanism for the exacerbating effect of CRP is currently unknown but might involve CRP-mediated complement activation, Fc receptor signaling, or cytokine production. 2 One weakness of our study is that because of a lack of early blood samples (prior to day 4) we were unable to ascertain if ECM was accompanied by an early CRP acute phase response. Furthermore, although murine ECM has proven to be a powerful research tool for discovery of mechanisms that might contribute to the pathophysiology of malaria, 18 ECM in mice is simply not identical to CM in humans.…”

“…The severity of CM is thought to be the consequence of a strong host immune and inflammatory response to the invading Plasmodium spp. 1 Blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are positively associated with parasite burden in malaria [2][3][4][5] and CRP levels are higher in CM compared to non-CM or mild malaria. [6][7][8] CRP is an acute phase protein that can activate complement, bind Fc receptors and stimulate cytokine production, 9 thus, the protein's elevation in blood might be expected to exacerbate CM.…”

“…1 Blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are positively associated with parasite burden in malaria [2][3][4][5] and CRP levels are higher in CM compared to non-CM or mild malaria.…”

“…CM has a high fatality rate and often causes long-term neurological consequences in survivors. The severity of CM is thought to be the consequence of a strong host immune and inflammatory response to the invading Plasmodium spp.1 Blood levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are positively associated with parasite burden in malaria [2][3][4][5] and CRP levels are higher in CM compared to non-CM or mild malaria.6-8 CRP is an acute phase protein that can activate complement, bind Fc receptors and stimulate cytokine production, 9 thus, the protein's elevation in blood might be expected to exacerbate CM. Yet paradoxically, in patients from malaria-endemic regions, high parasitemia does not always induce CRP elevation and a CRP genetic variation linked to heightened blood CRP 10 associates with increased susceptibility to malaria infection.…”