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Updated: Sep 30, 2026

Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum
Published on: December 4, 2015
Decreased hemoglobin concentrations, hyperparasitemia, and severe malaria are associated with increased Plasmodium
Mathieu Nacher1, Pratap Singhasivanon, Udomsak Silachamroon
1Unité INSERM 511, Immunobiologie Cellulaire et Moléculaire des Infections Parasitaires, Faculté de médecine Pitié-Salpétrière, Paris, France. m_nacher@lycos.com
Abstract:
To determine factors influencing gametocyte carriage, a cross-sectional study was conducted among 512 patients admitted for Plasmodium falciparum malaria. After adjustments for potential confounders, hemoglobin concentrations were lower in gametocyte carriers 10.5 (+/-2.5) than in patients without gametocytes 12.5 (+/-2.3) (P < 0.0001). Hemoglobin concentrations were negatively correlated with peak gametocyte counts (Spearman's p = -0.37, P < 0.0001) and gametocyte carriage durations (Spearman's p = -(0.30, P < 0.0001). Adjustments for the duration of the malaria episode and other potential confounders did not alter the association (P < 0.0001). After adjustment for potential confounders, the median asexual parasitemia was higher in patients with gametocytes than in patients without gametocytes (P = 0.003). Severe malaria cases were more likely to have gametocytes (65%) than malaria with hyperparasitemia (38%) or mild malaria (31%) (P = 0.0001). These findings suggest that events surrounding anemia and tissue hypoxia stimulate Plasmodium falciparum gametocytogenesis.
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