Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The painstaking discovery of the hidden face of the human plasmodia

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Parasitology Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The difficulties encountered in the discovery of the exoerythrocytic stage of asexual cycle of human plasmodia are described. These illustrate how deference towards scientific orthodoxy and a degree of reluctance to question and to criticise can delay advances in knowledge.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Bignami A (1910) Sulla pathogenesi delle recideve nelle febbri malariche. Atti Soc Studi Malar 11:731–746

    Google Scholar 

  • Bignami A, Bastianelli G (1900) Sulla inoculazione delle sangue di semiluna malariche d’uomo. Atti Soc Studi Malar 1:15–20

    Google Scholar 

  • Bray RS (1957) Additional notes on the tissue stages of P. cynomolgi. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 51:248–252

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bray RS, Krotoski WA, Cogswell FB, Garnham PCC, Rodriquez MW, Guy MW, Gwadz RW, Sinden RE, Targett GAT, Draper CC, Killik-Kendrk R (1985) Observations on early and late post-sporozoite tissue stages in primate malaria. III—Further attempts to find early forms and to correlate hypnozoites with growing exo-erythrocytic schizonts and parasitemic relapses in Plamodium cynomolgie bastianelli infections. Trans Roy Soc Med Hyg 79:269–273

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brumpt E (1935) Paludisme aviaire: Plasmodium gallinaceum n.sp. de la poule domestique. CR Hebd Sean Acad Sci Paris 2000:783–786

    Google Scholar 

  • Capanna E (2006) Grassi versus Ross: who solved the riddle of malaria? Int Microbiol 9(1):69–74

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Coatney GR, Cooper WC (1948) Symposium on exoerythrocytic forms of malarial parasites. III—The chemotherapy of malaria in relation to ours knowledge of exoerythrocytic forms. J Parasit 34:275–289

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coatney GR, Cooper WC, Ruhe DS, Young MD, Burgess RW (1950a) Studies in human malaria. XVIII. The life pattern of sporozoite-induced St. Elisabeth strain vivax malaria. Am J Hyg 51:200–215

    Google Scholar 

  • Coatney GR, Cooper, Young MD (1950b) Studies in human malaria. XXX. A summary of 204 sporozoite-induced infections with the Chesson strain of Plasmodium vivax. J Natl Mal Soc 9:381–396

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cogswell FB (1991) Hypnozoite of Plasmodium simiovale. Am J Trop Med Hyg 45:211–213

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cogswell FB (1992) The hypnozoite and relapse in primate malaria. Clin Microbiol Rev 5:26–35

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Collins WE, Jeffery JM (2007) Plamodium malariae: parasite and disease. Clin Microbiol Rev 20(4):579–592

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Contacos PG, Collins WE, Jeferry GM, Krotoski WA, Howard WA (1972) Studies on the characterization of Plasmodium vivax strains from Central America. Am J Trop Med Hyg 21(suppl):707–712

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cooper WC, Ruhe DS, Coatney GR (1949) Studies in human malaria XVI—results of massive subinoculation during latency from patients infected with St. Elisabeth strain vivax malaria. Am J Hyg 50:189–193

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Corradetti A (1966) The origin of relapses in human and simian malaria. WHO/Mal 66:565

    Google Scholar 

  • Corradetti A (1985) About the hypnozoites of vivax-like group of Plasmodia. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 79:879–880

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • de Aragão HB (1908) Über den Enwicklungsgang und die Ubertragung von Haemoproteus columbae. Arch Protistenkd 12:154–167

    Google Scholar 

  • Escalante AA, Freeland DE, Collins WE, Lal AA (1998) The evolution of primate malaria based on the gene encoding cytochrome b from the linear mitochondrial genome. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 95:8123–8129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fairley NH (1945) Chemiotherapeutic suppression and prophylaxis in malaria. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 38:311–365

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fairley NH (1947) Sidelights on malaria in man obtained by subinoculation experiments. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 40:621–676

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garnham PCC (1947) Exoerythrocytic schizogony in Plasmodium kochi Laveran. A preliminary note. Trans Roy Soc Trop Med Hyg 40:719–722

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Garnham PCC (1980) Les rechutes du paludisme. Cah. ORSTOM, sér Ent med, Vol XVIII, 2: 103–195

  • Garnham PCC (1998) Swellengrebel lecture. Hypnozoites and “relapses” in Plasmodium vivax and in vivax-like malaria. Trop Geogr Med 40:187–195

    Google Scholar 

  • Garnham PCC, Krotoski WA, Bray S, Killick-Kendrick R, Cogswell F (1983) Relapses in primate malaria: a reply. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 77:734–736

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Golgi C (1983) Sulle febri malariche estivo-autumnali di Roma. Gazz Med Pavia 2:481–559

    Google Scholar 

  • Grassi MB, Bignami A, Bastianelli G (1898) Rendiconti della Real Accademia dei Lincei : nota del 28 nov. letto in seduta del 4 déc., in Russel PF (1955) Man’s mystery of malaria. Oxford University Press: London

  • Hollingdale MR, Collins WE, Campbell C, Schwartz I (1985) In vitro culture of two populations (dividing et non dividing) of exoerythocytic parasites of Plasmodium vivax. Am J Trop Med Hyg 34:216–222

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hollingdale MR, Collins WE, Campbell C (1986) In vitro culture of exoerythrocytic parasites of Noth Korean strain of Plasmodium vivax in hepatoma cells. Am J Trop Med Hyg 35:275–276

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Huff CG, Bloom WL (1935) A malarial parasite infecting all blood and blood-forming cells of birds. J Inf Dis 57:315–336

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Huff CG, Coulston F (1944) The development of Plasmodium gallinaceum from sporozoite to erythrocytic trophozoite. J Infec Dis 75:231–240

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • James SP (1931) The use of plasmoquine in prevention of the malarial infections. Proc R Acad Sci Amsterdam 34:1424–1425

    Google Scholar 

  • James SP, Tate P (1938) Exoerythrocytic schizogony in Plasmodium gallinaceum. Brumpt 1935. Parasitology 30:128

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • James SP, Tatt P (1937) New knowledge of the life cycle of malaria parasite. Nature (London) 139:545–549

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kikuth W, Murdow L (1937) Uber pigmentlose Schizogonie-formen bei Vogel-malaria. Klin Wschr 16:1690–1691

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krotoski WA, Collins WE (1982) Failure to detect hypnozoites in hepatic tissue containing exoerythocytic schizonts of Plasmodium knowlesi. Am J Trop Med Hyg 31:854–856

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krotoski WA, Krotoski D, Garnham PCC et al (1980) Relapses in primate malaria. History of two populations of exoerythocytic stages. Preliminary note. Br Med J 1:153–154

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krotoski WA, Garnham PCC, Bray RS et al (1982a) Observations on early and late post-sporozoite tissue stages in primate malaria: I. Discovery of a new latent form of Plasmodium cynomolgi (the hypnozoite), and failure to detect hepatic forms within the first 24 hours after infection. Am J Trop Med Hyg 31:24–35

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krotoski WA, Bray RS, Garnham PCC et al (1982b) Observations on early and late post-sporozoite tissue stages in primate malaria. II. The hypnozoite of Plasmodium cynomolgi bastinelli from 3 to 105 days after infection, and detection of 36–48 pre-erythrocytic forms. Am J Trop Med Hyg 31:211–225

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Krotoski WA, Garnham PCC, Cogswell FB et al (1986) Observations on early and late post-sporozoite tissue stages in primate malaria. IV. Pre-erythrocitic schizontes and or hypnozoites of Chesson and North Korean strains of Plasmodium vivax in the chimpanzee. Am J Trop Med Hyg 35:263–274

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lysenko AY, Beljaev AE, Rybalka BM (1977) Population studies of Plasmodium vivax. I. The theory of polymorphism of sporozoites and epidemiological phenomenon of tertian malaria. Bull WHO 55:541–549

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marchoux E (1926) Paludisme. JB Baillère, Paris

    Google Scholar 

  • Markus MB (2011) The hypnozoite concept, with particular reference to malaria. Parasitol Res 108:247–252

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Markus MB (1978) Terminology for invasive stages of protozoa of the Suphylum Apicomplexa (Sporozoa). S Afr J Sci 74:105–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Mazier D, Landau I, Druilhe P et al (1984) Cultivation of the liver forms of Plasmodium vivax in human hepatocytes. Nature 307:367–369

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moshkoski SD (1973) Explanation for the difference of incubation type and features of alteration of acute periods of tertian malaria associated with differents strains of Plasmodium vivax. Med Parazitol 42:393–400

    Google Scholar 

  • Nicolaiev BP (1949) Subspecies of the parasite of tertian malaria (Plasmodium vivax). Dokl Akad Nauk (USSR) 67:201–210

    Google Scholar 

  • Paraense WL (1943) Aspectos parasitarios observados no local inoculado con esporozoitos de Plasmodium gallinaceum. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 38:352–359

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paraense WL (2004) A fragment of malaria history. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 99:439–442

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pel PK (1886) Mededeengen uit de Geneeskundige kliniek. Malaria infectie. Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd 22:341–358

    Google Scholar 

  • Raffaelle G (1934) Un cepo italiano di Plasmodium elongatum. Riv Malariol 13:332–337

    Google Scholar 

  • Raffaelle G (1936a) Presumbili forme iniziali di evoluzione di Plasmodium relictum. Rev Malariol 15:318–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Raffaelle G (1936b) Poter infettante del sangue durante l’incubazione della malaria aviara. Riv Malariol 15:318–324

    Google Scholar 

  • Reichenow E, Mudrow PL (1943) Der Entwicklungsgang von Plasmodium praecox im Vogelskorper. Deut Troppen Zeitsh 47:289–299

    Google Scholar 

  • Richter J, Franken G, Melhorn H et al (2010) What is the evidence for the existence of Plasmodium ovale hypnozoites? Parasitol Res 107:1285–1290

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ross R (1898) Report on the cultivation of Proteosoma Labbey in grey mosquitoes. Ind Med Gaz 33:401–408

    Google Scholar 

  • Russel PF (1955) Man’s mystery of malaria. Oxford University Press, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Schaudinn F (1902 ) Studen uber krankheitserregende Protozoen.II. Plasmodium vivax (Grassi et Feletti) der Erregeres Tertianfiebers beim Menschen. Arb Kaiser Gesundheitsamte (Berlin) 19:169–250

  • Schmidt LH (1986) Compatibility of relapses patterns of Plasmodium cynomolgi infections in rhesus monkeys with continuous cyclical development and hypnozoite concepts of relapse. Am J Trop Med Hyg 35:1077–1099

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shortt HE (1983) Relapse in primate malaria: its implication for the disease in man. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 77:734–736

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shortt HE, Garnham PCC (1948a) Pre-erythrocytic stage in mammalian parasites. Nature 161:126

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shortt HE, Garnham PCC (1948b) Demonstration of a persisting exo-erythrocytic cycle in Plamodium cynomolgi and its bearing on the production of relapses. Br Med J 1:1225–1228

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shortt HE, Garnham PCC, Malamos B (1948a) The pre-erythrocytic stage of mammalian malaria. Brit Med J 1:192–194

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shortt HE, Garnham PCC, Covell G et al (1948b) The pre-erythrocytic stage of human malaria Plamodium vivax. Br Med J 1:547

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shute PG (1946) Latency and long term relapses in benign tertian malaria. Trans Roy Soc Trop 40:189–194

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shute PG, Lupascu G, Branzei P et al (1976) A strain of Plasmodium vivax charecterized by predominately prolonged incubation. The effect of numbers of sporozoites on the length of the prepatent-period. Trans Roy Soc Trop Med Hyg 70:474–481

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith D, Sanford LB (1985) Laveran’s germ: the reception and use of a medical discovery. Am J Trop Med Hyg 34(1):2–20

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stephens JWW (1922) A new malaria parasite of man. Ann Trop Med Parasit 16:383–388

    Google Scholar 

  • Sutherland CJ, Tanomsing N, Noldes D et al (2010) Two nonrecombining sympatrics forms of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium ovale occur globally. JID 2011:1544–1550

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Thayer W (1887) Lectures on the malaria fevers. Appleton, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Ungureanu E, Killik-Kendrik R, Garnham PCC et al (1976) Pre-patent periods of tropical strain of Plasmodium vivax after inoculation of tenfold dilution of sporozoites. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 70:482–483

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Warren M, Powers KG, Garnham PCC et al (1974) Plasmodium cynomolgi: influence of X-irradiation and sporozoite dilution on relapse patterns in infected rhesus monkeys. Exp Parasitol 35:266–271

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yorke W (1925) Further observations on malaria made during treatment on general paralysis. Trans Roy Soc Trop Med Hyg 19:108–122

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yorke W, Macfie JWS (1924) Observations on malaria made during treatment of general paralysis. Trans Roy Soc Trop Med Hyg 18:13–33

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pathologie parasitaire et exotique, Faculté de Médecine Descartes-Necker, 156 rue de Vaugirard, 75015, Paris, France

    Jean-François Pays

  2. Université Paris V René Descartes, Paris, France

    Jean-François Pays

  3. CENPETROP, Universidad Nacional del Nordeste, 25 de Mayo 868 - 3400, Corrientes, Argentina

    Jean-François Pays

Authors
  1. Jean-François Pays
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jean-François Pays.

Additional information

The original version of this article has been published in French in Bulletin de la Société de Pathologie exotique (Springer and SPE editors): Pays J-F (2010) Cycle exoérythrocytaire asexué des plasmodiums humains: une découverte laborieuse. Bull Soc Pathol Exot 103: 272–279

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Pays, JF. The painstaking discovery of the hidden face of the human plasmodia. Parasitol Res 111, 1301–1307 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-2965-z

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-012-2965-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation