[Identification of plasmodial antibodies in the immunodiagnosis of malaria (author's transl)].

Out of 880 sera which were examined for antibodies to plasmodia 69 (7.8%) reacted only with P. falciparum antigen, 371(42.2%) reacted only with P. fieldi antigen, and 440 (50%) responded to both antigens. These groups were differentiated further with antigens from P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae. The results showed that the P. ovale antigen was distinguished by a marked activity with those sera that had reacted only with P. fieldi in the screening test. With sera that had responded to both antigens or only to P. falciparum antigen in the screening test there was no such clear differentiation of the antibodies. P. falciparum was a less sensitive antigen for the demonstration of plasmodial antibodies (590, i.e. 57.8%, of the sera were positive) than P. fieldi (811, i.e. 91.2% of the sera were positive). The explanations given in the literature for the group and species specific reactions are discussed.