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Questions and Answers
What is the primary cause of malaria in humans?
What is the primary cause of malaria in humans?
Which of the following Plasmodium species is most likely to invade red cells of all ages?
Which of the following Plasmodium species is most likely to invade red cells of all ages?
What is the term for the sexual forms of the malarial parasite?
What is the term for the sexual forms of the malarial parasite?
Where do sporozoites enter after being injected into the human body by the mosquito?
Where do sporozoites enter after being injected into the human body by the mosquito?
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What is the most effective treatment for P.falciparum infection?
What is the most effective treatment for P.falciparum infection?
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What is the result of the rupture of schizonts in the human body?
What is the result of the rupture of schizonts in the human body?
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Which of the following is a characteristic of P. falciparum malaria?
Which of the following is a characteristic of P. falciparum malaria?
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For treatment of malaria during pregnancy, what is recommended in the 1st trimester?
For treatment of malaria during pregnancy, what is recommended in the 1st trimester?
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What is required for treatment of P.vivax infections?
What is required for treatment of P.vivax infections?
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What is the term for the dormant forms of P. vivax and P. ovale in liver cells?
What is the term for the dormant forms of P. vivax and P. ovale in liver cells?
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What is the adaptation that has influenced human evolution in areas where malaria is prevalent?
What is the adaptation that has influenced human evolution in areas where malaria is prevalent?
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What is the treatment of choice for complicated P.falciparum malaria?
What is the treatment of choice for complicated P.falciparum malaria?
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What is the recommended chemoprophylaxis for malaria in areas with chloroquine resistance?
What is the recommended chemoprophylaxis for malaria in areas with chloroquine resistance?
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What is the recommended chemoprophylaxis for malaria in areas without chloroquine resistance?
What is the recommended chemoprophylaxis for malaria in areas without chloroquine resistance?
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What is NOT an effective method of prevention of malaria?
What is NOT an effective method of prevention of malaria?
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What is essential to confirm the diagnosis of malaria?
What is essential to confirm the diagnosis of malaria?
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Why are some West Africans and African-Americans protected against P.vivax malaria?
Why are some West Africans and African-Americans protected against P.vivax malaria?
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What is the characteristic fever pattern of P.vivax and P.ovale infections?
What is the characteristic fever pattern of P.vivax and P.ovale infections?
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What is a common complication of P.falciparum malaria?
What is a common complication of P.falciparum malaria?
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What is the purpose of thick and thin blood films in diagnosing malaria?
What is the purpose of thick and thin blood films in diagnosing malaria?
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Why does P.falciparum not grow well in red cells that contain haemoglobin F?
Why does P.falciparum not grow well in red cells that contain haemoglobin F?
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What is a long-term complication of P.malariae infection?
What is a long-term complication of P.malariae infection?
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What is the characteristic of P.falciparum infection?
What is the characteristic of P.falciparum infection?
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What is a severe manifestation of P.falciparum malaria?
What is a severe manifestation of P.falciparum malaria?
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Study Notes
Malaria
- Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by parasitic protozoans of the genus Plasmodium.
- The four species of Plasmodium that cause malaria in humans are:
- Plasmodium falciparum
- P. vivax
- P. ovale
- P. malariae
- Malaria is prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions due to ideal habitats for mosquito larvae.
Life Cycle of the Malarial Parasite
- The female anopheline mosquito becomes infected when it feeds on human blood containing gametocytes.
- Sporozoites develop in the mosquito's salivary gland and are transmitted to humans through a bite.
- Sporozoites disappear from human blood within half an hour and enter the liver.
- After some days, they leave the liver and invade red blood cells, starting asexual cycles.
Pathology
- Red cells infected with malaria are prone to haemolysis, which is most severe with P. falciparum.
- P. vivax and P. ovale invade reticulocytes, while P. malariae invades normoblasts.
- In P. falciparum malaria, red cells containing trophozoites adhere to vascular endothelium, causing widespread organ damage.
Clinical Features
- The classic symptom of malaria is paroxysm, a cyclical occurrence of sudden coldness, shivering, and then fever and sweating.
- P. falciparum infection can cause recurrent fever every 36-48 hours or a less pronounced and almost continuous fever.
- P. vivax and P. ovale infections cause tertian fever, occurring every two days.
- P. malariae infection causes quartan fever, occurring every three days.
Complications of P. falciparum Malaria
- Coma (cerebral malaria)
- Hyperpyrexia
- Convulsions
- Hypoglycaemia
- Severe anaemia
- Acute pulmonary oedema
- Acute renal failure
- Spontaneous bleeding and coagulopathy
- Metabolic acidosis
- Shock
- Aspiration pneumonia
- Hyperparasitaemia
Diagnosis
- Thick and thin blood films are used to diagnose malaria.
- Immunochromatographic tests for malaria antigens, such as OptiMal, can also be used.
- DNA detection (PCR) is a more accurate test, but it is costly and requires special laboratory equipment.
Treatment
- The most effective treatment for P. falciparum infection is artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT).
- Additional antimalarials used in ACT include amodiaquine, lumefantrine, mefloquine, or sulfadoxine/pyrimethamine.
- For P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae infections, treatment is with oral chloroquine.
- Treatment of P. vivax requires both treatment of blood stages and clearance of liver forms with primaquine.
Prevention
- Chemoprophylaxis of malaria can be achieved with chloroquine, mefloquine, or doxycycline.
- Insecticide-treated bed nets (ITNs) and electronic mosquito repellents can also be used for prevention.
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Description
Learn about malaria, a mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by parasitic protozoans of the genus Plasmodium. Understand how it's transmitted and prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions.
