Splenohepatomegaly in Protein-Malourished Mice Infected with Plasmodium Vinckei

Abstract

Cellular and histopathological observations were made with light microscopy during the Plasmodium vinckeiinfection in protein-malnourished mice (fed on 2% casein diet and para-aminobenzoic acid deficient diet (PABA-DD).In the infected spleen, hyperplasia of the red as well as the white pulp was evident; active erythropoiesis and lymphopoiesis. Hyperemia and deposition of malarial pigments inside the macrophages. Cloudy swelling was noticed in the swollen hepatic cells of the uninfected liver due to protein deficiency. This lesion had developed to fatty infiltration in the infected protein-malnourished mice. These new and interesting changes represent the combined deleterious effect upon the host of infection and protein-malnutrition. Hypertrophy of the kupffer cells due to progressive phagocytosis of malarial pigments. In addition, focal necrosis surrounded by inflammatory cells was seen.