Irreversible pathological lesions were noted in the organs of mice infected with 1 of 3 rodent malaria species: Plasmodium
chabaudi chabaudi, P. vinckei petteri and P. yoelii nigeriensis at different times during the course of the primary parasitaemia
and long after microscopical clearance of the parasites. Moreover, similar lesions were also obtained when parasite levels
were kept below 1%by subcurative drug treatment. The frequency and severity of the lesions correlated with the duration
of the infection. Accumulation of tissue damage during chronic low-grade malaria infections has implications for the
design of control measures.