High oxygen radical production ts associated with fast parasite clearance in children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria

It has been hypothesized that reactive oxygen intermediates (ROI) released by leukocytes play a major role in the immune response to many infectious a gents. Tn the present study, the parasitologic and clinical courses of 75 G abonese children with Plasmodium falciparum malaria were compared with the ability of their granulocytes to produce oxygen radicals. The luminol-depen dent chemiluminescence in granulocyte suspensions for the children was meas ured without stimulation and after stimulation with phorbol-12-myristate-13 -acetate, N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine, or tumor necrosis factor . A significant association was found between fast parasite clearance time and high oxygen radical generation in both the unstimulated and stimulated granulocyte preparations. No correlation was found between fever clearance time and ROI generation. These findings suggest that ROI play a pivotal rol e in the immune response as a first line of defense against P. falciparum m alaria.