148768 20260108074801.0 doi 10.1016/j.parint.2025.103028 sideral 142044 ART-2025-142044 eng Beltrán-Rosel, Antonio Universidad de Zaragoza Falciparum malaria in a child from Ghana with neutrophils showing phagocytosis of trophozoites, merozoites and possibly schizont 2025 Malaria remains a significant health threat in tropical and subtropical regions. The immune response to Plasmodium falciparum involves both humoral and cellular components, including phagocytosis by neutrophils. However, observing phagocytosis through light microscopy is uncommon. This report presents a rare case of falciparum malaria in a Ghanaian twin, highlighting intracellular P. falciparum forms in neutrophils. Two 7-year-old male twins from Ghana were admitted with fever, vomiting, and abdominal pain. They tested positive for P. falciparum infection via rapid diagnostic tests and blood smears. Child 1 displayed significant neutrophilia and intracellular parasites, including trophozoites, merozoites, and a potential schizont, within neutrophils. Child 2 showed no phagocytosis but exhibited other signs of systemic inflammation and hemolysis. Both children were treated successfully with piperaquine tetraphosphate/artenimol (Eurartesim®). This case provides rare microscopic evidence of P. falciparum phagocytosis by neutrophils, suggesting prior antibody development in the patient. While the findings highlight the role of phagocytosis in parasite clearance, the absence of similar observations in the second twin raises questions about individual immune responses and genetic factors. Further research is needed to explore the underlying biological mechanisms. info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess All rights reserved http://www.europeana.eu/rights/rr-f/ info:eu-repo/semantics/article info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion Ligero-López, Jorge Universidad de Zaragoza López-Alonso, Beatriz Boquera-Albert, Amparo Ferreira-Ferreira, Ingrid (orcid)0000-0001-8346-0544 Collado-Hernández, Pilar Universidad de Zaragoza Rubio-Muñoz, José Miguel 1011 660 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Microb.Ped.Radio.Sal.Pú. Área Parasitología 1011 630 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Microb.Ped.Radio.Sal.Pú. Área Microbiología 1011 670 Universidad de Zaragoza Dpto. Microb.Ped.Radio.Sal.Pú. Área Pediatría 106 (2025), 103028 [3 pp.] PARASITOL INT PARASITOLOGY INTERNATIONAL 1383-5769 759374 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/148768/files/texto_completo.pdf Versión publicada info:eu-repo/date/embargoEnd/2026-01-03 2370207 http://zaguan.unizar.es/record/148768/files/texto_completo.jpg?subformat=icon icon Versión publicada info:eu-repo/date/embargoEnd/2026-01-03 oai:zaguan.unizar.es:148768 articulos driver 2026-01-07-18:55:47 ARTICLE