MRI of the brain in a primate model of severe human malaria

我们以前的研究表明，日本猕猴（Macaca fuscata）是非常容易感染疟原虫coatneyi感染和感染的猴子的病理结果是类似的人恶性疟疾与大脑参与。为了阐明脑型疟疾的临床特征及其与病理结果的相关性，我们对灵长类动物模型的大脑进行了磁共振成像（MRI）分析。实验中，我们制备了四只J猕猴（J52，J53，J54和J55），在感染前后进行了四次MR成像检查。第二次成像后，对猕猴进行尸检并进行病理检查。J53的寄生虫血症在第14天为30.1%，并且猕猴表现出严重的临床体征，例如烦躁和抑郁。然而，MRI显示无异常。组织学检查显示PRBC优先隔离在大脑和小脑毛细血管中。但切片未见坏死、血管周围水肿等实质性损害。因此，我们的结论是，虽然隔离在微血管中经常看到在我们的灵长类动物模型在急性疟疾发作，MRI异常的大脑是不常见的，在我们的灵长类动物模型在急性期严重疟疾。

Our previous studies demonstrated that the Japanese macaque (Macaca fuscata) is highly susceptible to Plasmodium coatneyi infection and that pathologic findings in infected monkeys are similar to those observed in human falciparum malaria with cerebral involvement. To elucidate the clinical features of cerebral malaria and correlation with pathologic findings, we performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) analysis on the brain in our primate model. In the experiment, we prepared four J-macaques (J52, J53, J54 and J55), and they were examined by four times MR imaging before and after infection. After the 2nd imaging, the macaques were autopsied and processed for pathological examination. Parasitemia of J53 was 30.1% on day 14, and the macaque exhibited serious clinical signs such as restlessness and depression. However, MRI revealed no abnormalities. Histopathological examination showed preferential sequestration of PRBCs in the cerebral and cerebellum capillaries. However, parenchymal damages such as necroris and peri-vasculare edema were not found in the section. We therefore conclude that although sequestration in the microvessels was frequently seen in our primate model during acute malarial attack, the MRI abnormality of the brain is not common in our primate model during acute phase of severe malaria.