Macrophage activation in vivax malaria: fever is associated with increased levels of neopterin and interferon-gamma

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Abstract
Summary In order to evaluate the relationship between fever and macrophage activation in vivax malaria, serum inierferon‐gamma (IFN‐y) and urinary neopterin concentrations were determined in That adults with Plasmodlum vivax parasitaemia. Magnitude of fever, after controlling for parasite density, was found to be positively correlated with both IFN‐y (r = 0‐47) and neopterin (r = 0‐57). In the 26 febrile patients, neopterin excretion increased further during the first two days of chemotherapy (P=0‐0002). Mean neopterin values for both groups had fallen to within the normal range by the sixth day post‐trealmem. Thus, the fever of vivax malaria was associated with IFN‐y induced macrophage activation, as reflected by neopterin excretion.