Daily Rhythms of TNF? Expression and Food Intake Regulate Synchrony of Plasmodium Stages with the Host Circadian Cycle (Cell Host & Microbe)

A hallmark of Plasmodium infection is a cyclic fever preceded by the synchronized rupture of infected erythrocytes. How millions of parasites proliferate synchronously is unknown. Hirako et al. found that inflammation-induced hypoglycemia impairs parasite replication, whereas Plasmodium proliferates during host food intake, which parallels the host`s circadian cycle.