T cell responses in acute falciparum malaria.

T lymphocyte responses to malaria-specific antigens during acute falciparum malaria were studied to determine host-parasite interaction and its relation to the manifestations of the disease. The results indicate that while there is antigen-specific immunodepression, markedly elevated levels of soluble factors such as IL2 receptor, CD8 antigen and IFN-gamma suggest that there is intense concurrent cellular activation which however does not seem to be effective in controlling the infection. It is proposed that the cellular activation is to a large extent non-specific and polyclonal, and leads to the exaggerated production of cytokines and eventually immunopathology. Various mechanisms of immunodepression are discussed.