Increased Levels of Soluble Fas Ligand in Serum in Plasmodium falciparum Malaria

Abstract

Levels of soluble Fas ligand (sFasL) in serum were elevated in patients with Plasmodium falciparum malaria and showed a significant decline during disease course. sFasL levels that were elevated before antimalarial treatment began correlated significantly with depressed total lymphocyte and T-cell counts. These data suggest that Fas-induced apoptosis might play a role in malaria-associated lymphopenia.