Abstract
Pyruvate kinase deficiency (PKD) in red blood cells (RBC), with autosomal recessive inheritance, is caused by mutations in the pklr gene on chromosome 1q21. There are more than 300 mutations described in this gene, which can result in hemolytic anemia of varying severity. PKD limits the growth of Plasmodium falciparum within human RBC but may paradoxically increase the risk of vivax malar…