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Updated: May 25, 2026

An In Vitro Model for Measuring Immune Responses to Malaria in the Context of HIV Co-infection
Published on: October 6, 2015
Malaria: host-pathogen interactions, immunopathological complications and therapy
P E Van Den Steen1, K Deroost, N Geurts
1Laboratory of Immunobiology, Rega Institute for Medical Research--KULeuven, Minderbroedersstraat 10--B 3000 Leuven.
Abstract:
Malaria is a global tropical disease causing more than 1 million deaths and 300 million clinical cases every year. It is caused by parasites from the genus Plasmodium and is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. Approximately 3 billion people live in malaria-endemic regions and a majority of them are infected. In this review, we discuss the life cycle of the parasite, the complex interactions with the human host and the ensuing immune reactions and complications. The immune system plays a dual role in malaria, by providing life-saving immunity against the parasite, but also by causing often lethal complications in a number of patients. Cytokines, chemokines and proteases are key players in the immunopathological complications, and we propose immunomodulation with dexamethasone as a promising strategy for the therapy of malaria-associated acute respiratory distress syndrome.
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