Evidence map›Paper›PMID 28800735›Full record

ArticleMalaria journal2017

Life-span of in vitro differentiated Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes.

Tamirat Gebru, Albert Lalremruata, Peter G Kremsner, Benjamin Mordmüller, Jana Held

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Malaria journal, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 12 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
12citing papers in PubMed
2.5field-weighted citation impact, top 11% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

12 citing papers in PubMed, 25 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Biology and epidemiology ofParasite epidemiology and control · 2023
    Review
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Review
  6. Viability and Infectivity ofFrontiers in cellular and infection microbiology · 2021
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Article
  11. Article
  12. Gametocyte Development and Carriage in Ghanaian Individuals with UncomplicatedThe American journal of tropical medicine and hygiene · 2018
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Tamirat GebruInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Albert LalremruataInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Peter G KremsnerInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Benjamin MordmüllerInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.
Jana HeldInstitute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany. janaheld@hotmail.de.
University of Tübingen · DEGerman Center for Infection Research · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe sexual stages (gametocytes) of Plasmodium falciparum do not directly contribute to the pathology of malaria but are essential for transmission of the parasite from the human host to the mosquito. Mature gametocytes circulate in infected human blood for several days and their circulation time has been modelled mathematically from data of previous in vivo studies. This is the first time that longevity of gametocytes is studied experimentally in vitro.

methodsThe in vitro longevity of P. falciparum gametocytes of 1 clinical isolate and 2 laboratory strains was assessed by three different methods: microscopy, flow cytometry and reverse transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR). Additionally, the rate of gametocytogenesis of the used P. falciparum strains was compared.

resultsThe maximum in vitro lifespan of P. falciparum gametocytes reached almost 2 months (49 days by flow cytometry, 46 days by microscopy, and at least 52 days by RT-qPCR) from the starting day of gametocyte culture to death of last parasite in the tested strains with an average 50% survival rate of 6.5, 2.6 and 3.5 days, respectively. Peak gametocytaemia was observed on average 19 days after initiation of gametocyte culture followed by a steady decline due to natural decay of the parasites. The rate of gametocytogenesis was highest in the NF54 strain.

conclusionsPlasmodium falciparum mature gametocytes can survive up to 16-32 days (at least 14 days for mature male gametocytes) in vitro in absence of the influence of host factors. This confirms experimentally a previous modelling estimate that used molecular tools for gametocyte detection in treated patients. The survival time might reflect the time the parasite can be transmitted to the mosquito after clearance of asexual parasites. These results underline the importance of efficient transmission blocking agents in the fight against malaria.

Indexed as

Flow CytometryIn Vitro TechniquesLife Cycle StagesLongevityMicroscopyPlasmodium falciparumPolymerase Chain ReactionClinical isolateExflagellationGametocyte circulation timeGametocyte longevityGametocyte viabilityGametocytogenesisMalaria

Identifiers

PMID28800735
PMCPMC5553604
OpenAlexW2742811249

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.