ABSTRACT
148Entry into a host of parasites of the malaria-causing Plasmodium species and their subsequent intraerythrocytic multiplication presents the individual with a formidable foe. Presented with a vast array of antigens which can vary depending upon the stage of infection, the host can respond to the initial and ensuing infection in several ways. This can occur via several unique mechanisms including (1) innate or natural resistance mechanisms which can involve either the absence of membrane receptors, structural, or biochemical abnormalities of the erythrocyte or, as yet undefined, innate or natural immune mechanisms, (2) humoral immune mechanisms, or (3) cell-mediated immune mechanisms. Furthermore, the interplay between these mechanisms and the genetic background of the host adds another dimension to our attempts to understand the nature of host defense against malaria.
