Human Lysozyme in Malaria Patients: Possible Role as Biomarker for Disease Severity

Diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers are used to predict the progress and outcome of several chronic diseases, including neoplastic and noncommunicable diseases. Recently, biomarker research has been exploited to accurately discriminate the severe forms of malaria, since no biological tests to confirm the diagnosis of severe malaria and its complications are available so far. In this context, human lysozyme appears as a good candidate. Since its discovery almost one century ago, several easy-to-handle and cost-effective methods to determine lysozyme activity in various samples (plasma, urine, and tissue sections) have been developed. Interestingly, results from two small prospective studies enrolling healthy volunteers and malaria patients from Sudan showed a significant correlation between disease severity and lysozyme plasma levels. These promising data encourage further studies employing larger cohorts of patients from different areas endemic for malaria. Intriguingly, an old molecule such as human lysozyme might reveal itself as a new and effective biomarker for malaria severity.