The extravascular compartment of the bone marrow: a niche for Plasmodium falciparum gametocyte maturation?

BACKGROUND: Plasmodium falciparum immature gametocytes accumulate in the bone marrow, but their exact location in this tissue remains unclear. METHODS: The stage and deposition pattern of gametocytes was analysed on histological sections of a bone marrow sample collected in a patient with subacute P. falciparum malaria. RESULTS: A majority (89%) of immature stages II to IV gametocytes and a minority (29%) of mature stage V gametocytes were observed in extravascular spaces. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: These observations represent a valuable step towards understanding sequestration patterns of P. falciparum gametocytes and may ultimately lead to novel transmission-blocking interventions.