Enhanced Plasmodium falciparum merozoite phagocytosis by monocytes from immune individuals

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Abstract
Phagocytosis of merozoites and schizont-infected erythrocytes prepared from continuous cultures by peripheral blood monocytes from patients with falciparum malaria was investigated with an in vitro assay. Monocytes do ingest merozoites of P. falciparum, but rarely phagocytose parasitized or nonparasitized erythrocytes in the absence of immune serum. The monocytes from hyperimmune subjects were significantly more efficient in the ingestion of merozoites than were those obtained from sensitized or noninfected subjects. Evidently, the merozoite rather than the parasitized erythrocyte is the specific target for blood phagocytic cells in human falciparum malaria and the phagocytosis of merozoites by peripheral blood monocytes increases depending on the level of specific immunity.