Kho S, Qotrunnada L, Leonardo L, et al. - Researchers examined spleens from people undergoing splenectomy in malaria-endemic Papua for the accumulation of Plasmodium vivax and immature reticulocytes. In Indonesia, asymptomatic splenic Plasmodium infection was detected in 95.5% (21/22) of splenectomy patients (7 P. vivax, 13 P. falciparum, and 1 mixed infection). The same splenic compartments showed accumulation of P. vivax parasites and immature reticulocytes. The spleen showed accumulation of all stages of P. vivax at magnitudes unexplainable by replication occurring in the circulation alone; the proportion of each stage in the spleen was consistent with the duration in their lifecycle. Findings overall provide information concerning P. vivax-specific adaptations that have evolved to enhance survival and replication in the spleen.