Skeletal muscle ultrastructural pathology in Serinus canarius infected with Plasmodium cathemerium

Serinus canarius infected with Plasmodium cathemerium was used as an animal model in order to study the skeletal muscle compromise in malaria. Pectoral muscle biopsies were obtained from 7 infected female birds. The transmission electron microscopic study showed alterations of contractile and sarcotubular systems, mitochondrial abnormalities, lysosomal proliferation and nuclear pyknosis. The sarcolemma looked disrupted and separated from the necrotic fibres. Capillary abnormalities included endothelial degeneration with proliferation of lysosomal structures, penetration of endothelial cell by the parasites and necrosis. A mononuclear cell infiltrate formed by plasmocytes, lymphocytes and macrophages was observed. This investigation shows that skeletal muscle is an important target tissue for some malaria parasites.