PLASMODIUM-COATNEYI-INFECTED RHESUS-MONKEYS - A PRIMATE MODEL FOR HUMAN CEREBRAL MALARIA

Although several animal models for human cerebral malaria have been pr oposed in the past, none have shown pathological findings that are sim ilar to those seen in humans. In order to develop an animal model for human cerebral malaria, we studied the pathology of brains of Plasmodi um coatneyi (primate malaria parasite)-infected rhesus monkeys. Our st udy demonstrated parasitized erythrocyte (PRBC) sequestration and cyto adherence of knobs on PRBC to endothelial cells in cerebral microvesse ls of these monkeys. This is similar to the findings seen in human cer ebral malaria. Cerebral microvessels with sequestered PRBC were shown by immunohistochemistry to possess CD36, TSP and ICAM-1. These protein s were not evident in cerebral microvessels of uninfected control monk eys. Our study indicates, for the first time, that rhesus monkeys infe cted with P. coatneyi can be used as a primate model to study human ce rebral malaria.