D. Pye et al., PLASMODIUM-FALCIPARUM INFECTION OF SPLENECTOMIZED AND INTACT GUYANAN-SAIMIRI MONKEYS, The Journal of parasitology, 80(4), 1994, pp. 558-562
Spleen-intact and splenectomized Saimiri monkeys of Guyanan origin wer
e examined for their potential suitability for Plasmodium falciparum p
rotection studies. The animals could be readily infected with adapted
strains of P. falciparum (Indochina 1/CDC and Uganda Pale Alto FUP str
ains), but spontaneously recovered without drug treatment and without
development of severe clinical disease. In intact animals, peak parasi
temia prior to recovery generally ranged from 0.1% to 10%, whereas in
splenectomized animals the peak parasitemia was generally higher so th
at some animals were given drug treatment to assist in recovery from i
nfection. In reinfection studies, previously infected spleen-intact mo
nkeys demonstrated sterile immunity to the homologous parasite strain
but not to a heterologous strain. However, in monkeys infected with th
e heterologous strain, the peak parasitemia was less than in the first
infection and of shorter duration. Splenectomized animals did not dem
onstrate sterile immunity although the peak parasitemia achieved was l
ess than in the previous infection of each of these monkeys. While the
lack of major clinical disease indicated that these monkeys did not p
rovide a good animal model for human malaria, the development of prote
ctive immunity was consistent with a useful role in evaluating candida
te vaccine antigens.