pLDH

Q: What is the utility of Plasmodium lactate dehydrogenase (pLDH) in the treatment of Malaria?

Answer:  pLDH is different in structure from human LDH and is produced by asexual and sexual forms of all Plasmodium species. pLDH-based assays can be used to predict success or failure of malaria treatment as serum pLDH levels correlate with parasite density and usually become undetectable from blood following antimalarial therapy. It may also identify asymptomatic patients with relatively low parasite densities.

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References:
1. Makler MT, Piper RC, Milhous WK. Lactate dehydrogenase and the diagnosis of malaria. Parasitol Today 1998; 14:376. 

2. Makler MT, Hinrichs DJ. Measurement of the lactate dehydrogenase activity of Plasmodium falciparum as an assessment of parasitemia. Am J Trop Med Hyg 1993; 48:205. 

3. Oduola AM, Omitowoju GO, Sowunmi A, et al. Plasmodium falciparum: evaluation of lactate dehydrogenase in monitoring therapeutic responses to standard antimalarial drugs in Nigeria. Exp Parasitol 1997; 87:283.