Cerebral malaria is a potential, severe outcome of Plasmodium falciparum infection, but the molecular basis of this complication has been unclear. Three recent studies have identified specific var genes encoding the malaria parasite ligand that binds to human brain endothelial cells, pointing to therapeutic targets for cerebral malaria.
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Pati, S., Mishra, S. Pathogenesis of cerebral malaria—a step forward. Nat Rev Neurol 8, 415–416 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2012.144
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nrneurol.2012.144
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