Molecular Factors and Biological Pathways Associated with Malaria Fever and the Pathogenesis of Cerebral Malaria

Fever is the most benign and common, and cerebral malaria is the most severe but rare consequence of malaria pathogenesis. However, the molecular mechanisms underlining these clinical syndromes are poorly defined. As a result, therapy against malaria is solely based on drugs that eliminate parasites in an infected host no anti-disease interventions are available to alleviate the pathological symptoms of malaria. In this dissertation, I have investigated themolecular factors and biological pathways that are associated with febrile illness and cerebral malaria. Febrile illness studies were done with intra-erythrocytic stage Plasmodium falciparum parasites, while cerebral malaria studies were done in the experimental Plasmodium berghei ANKA murine model of cerebral malaria ECM.