Plasmodium falciparum: phagocytosis by polymorphonuclear leukocytes.

In Vitro, the human polymorphonuclear leukocyte can recognize and ingest the free forms of Plasmodium falciparum. Digestive vacuoles form about the engulfed organisms. Neither the polymorphonuclear leukocyte nor the monocyte can recognize the parasitized red cell. Phagocytosis of normal or parasitized red cells was not observed.