Effects of Plasmodium berghei NK65 Infection on Haematological and Antioxidant Parameters, CD4+ T-Lymphocyte Count, and Spleen Morphology in Mice

Malaria is associated with haematological abnormalities, oxidative stress, and alterations in immune and splenic functions that may contribute to disease progression. This study investigated changes in parasitaemia, haematological indices, CD4+ T-lymphocyte count, antioxidant parameters, and spleen morphology in mice infected with Plasmodium berghei NK65. Fifteen albino mice with an average body weight of 24.20 ± 1.40 g were divided into an uninfected control group (n = 5) and an infected group (n = 10). Mice in the infected group were inoculated with chloroquine-sensitive P. berghei NK65 and monitored for 14 days. Parasitaemia increased progressively from 11.1% on day 4 post-infection to 27.9% on day 14. Compared with the control group, infected mice showed lower red blood cell count, white blood cell count, platelet count, haemoglobin concentration, haematocrit, mean corpuscular haemoglobin concentration, lymphocyte percentage, and neutrophil percentage, whereas mean corpuscular volume and mean corpuscular haemoglobin were higher. Infection was also associated with alterations in oxidative stress-related parameters, including superoxide dismutase, catalase, malondialdehyde, nitric oxide, and glutathione. CD4+ T-lymphocyte counts did not differ significantly between the groups. Gross examination revealed an enlarged and darker appearance of the spleen in infected mice compared with controls. These findings demonstrate that P. berghei NK65 infection is accompanied by progressive parasitaemia and alterations in haematological and oxidative stress-related parameters, together with gross morphological changes in the spleen.