Complement activation in children with acute malaria.

Abstract

Low C3 levels were found in the sera of most children with acute Plasmodium falciparum malaria. C4 and C1q levels were very low whilst glycine-rich β-glycoprotein (GBG) levels were only slightly depressed, suggesting that complement activation was occurring via the classical pathway. It is suggested that complement activation may play a part in initiating the complex series of changes that leads to the vascular damage seen in this infection.