Plasmodium falciparum: Enhanced gametocyte formation in vitro in reticulocyte-rich blood

Concentrates of late stage parasites of the gametocyte-forming clone HB-3 w ere mixed with blood rich in reticulocytes from anemic patients, or with no rmal control blood, and kept under culture conditions for 4 days. Significa ntly more gametocytes were always formed in the reticulocyte-rich blood tha n in the control. This was true whether the anemic blood supported a larger asexual parasitemia than the control, or a lower one, or the same and with out regard to the cause of the anemia. Gametocytes as a percentage of asexu al forms were up to 10 times higher in reticulocyte-rich blood than in norm al blood. (C) 1999 Academic Press.