Electron microscopy of the human brain in cerebral malaria

Abstract

Ultrastructure of erythrocytes infected with Plasmodium falciparum in human brain, obtained 3 hours post mortem revealed gross distortion of host red cells with abnormality of the red cell surface. The superficial alterations of the parasitized cells as knob-like protrusions appear to be the sites of attachment to vascular endothelium. There was evidence of platelets sticking to the injured endothelium. The endothelial vesicular membrane is in close adhesion to the parasitized red cell, and also to the platelets involved in this mechanism, explaining the sequestration of parasitized red cell and obstruction in cerebral microcirculation, cerebral oedema and low peripheral platelet count. There was no evidence of inflammation, fibrin or thrombus formation observed in our studies.