ELEVATED LEVELS OF SOLUBLE CD14 IN SERUM OF PATIENTS WITH ACUTE PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM MALARIA

Serum sCD14, tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), IL-6. and endot oxin were analysed in 45 patients with complicated malaria, in 14 pati ents with Gram-negative septicaemia and in 24 healthy subjects by ELIS A. Malaria patients with renal failure (n=16) had higher levels than p atients without renal failure (n=29) (8116+1440 mu g/l versus 9453+101 7 mu g/l; P<0.05) and both had higher levels than patients with septic aemia (6155+1635 mu g/l) and normal subjects (2776+747 mu g/l). A sign ificant correlation between sCD14 and IL-6 (r=0.756) and TNF (r=0.822) existed. However, no relation between sCD14 and serum endotoxin or in dices of clinical disease severity (parasitaemia, fever, parasite or f ever clearance time) was seen. Although the role of sCD14 in malaria r emains to be determined. elevated levels may participate in the inflam matory response in complicated malaria.