ISSN 2736-173X
African Journal of Malaria and Tropical Diseases ISSN 4123-0981 Vol. 5 (8), pp. 354-357, August, 2017. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Assessment of the level of nitric oxide in the serum of subjects exposed to malarial settings
De Sousa, Karina*, Silva, Marcelo S. and Tavira, Luís T.
Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Centro de Malária e outras Doenças Tropicais, Unidade de Ensino e Investigação da Clínica das Doenças Tropicais – Rua da Junqueira, 96, 1349-008 Lisboa Portugal.
*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected].
Accepted 15 January, 2017
Abstract
Nitric oxide (NO) has been recognized during the past two decades as one of the most versatile players in the immune system. Even though the molecular mechanisms responsible for the naturally acquired immunity against malaria are still to be clarified, the production of NO seems to play an important role as a marker for the severity of the disease. In this study we assess the level of nitric oxide in the serum of subjects exposed to malarial settings but who have not become clinically infected by plasmodia parasites. We conclude that NO is in fact a marker of clinical infections but cannot be used as an indicator of the disease’s severity.
Key words: Nitric oxide, malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, imported malaria.