Serum Tumor Necrosis Factor Alpha Levels in Plasmodium Vivax Malaria

The increase in Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in Plasmodium falciparum malaria (PFM) has been shown at many previous studies. We aimed to investigate the TNF-alpha levels of Plasmodium vivax malaria (PVM).
The study consisted of 19 Plasmodium vivax (PV) patients and a control group of 18 healthy persons. The serum TNF alpha levels were measured by radio-immunoassay method.
The TNF alpha levels of the patients (mean=19.67, ± sd ±5.502 pg/ml) were statistically higher in relation to those of the control group (4.63±0.52 pg/ml; p<0.02).
Significant increase in TNF alpha in PFM has been shown. It is established that the increase in TNF in PVM is at a lower extent. It is necessary to investigate with further studies the relationship between the clinical signs at paroxysmal periods of PVM patients and serum TNF levels.