Obstruction of the microcirculation plays a central role in the pathophysiology of severe malaria. Here, Arjen Dondorp and colleagues describe the various contributors to impaired microcirculatory flow in falciparum malaria: sequestration, rosetting and recent findings regarding impaired red blood cell deformability. The correlation with clinical findings and possible therapeutic consequences are discussed.
Department of Internal Medicine, Tropical Medicine and AIDS, Academic Medical Centre, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands. A.M.Dondorp@AMC.UVA.NL
