22 Questions
What is the most common and deadly species of Plasmodium that causes malaria in humans?
P. falciparum
Which method is the main mode of transmission of malaria?
Bites from infected female anopheles mosquito
What is the estimated percentage of malaria deaths in children according to WMR(2018) in 2017?
50%
Which species of Plasmodium causes malaria with an erythrocytic cycle of 72 hours?
P. malariae
Which type of malaria is characterized by asexual P. falciparum infection, life-threatening signs/symptoms, or vital organ dysfunction?
Severe malaria
What is the main characteristic of uncomplicated malaria?
Fever, chills, and malaise
What is the consequence of cytoadherence in malaria?
Sequestration of red blood cells containing mature parasites in various organs
How is malaria diagnosed through microscopy-based tests?
Blood film light microscopy
What do RDTs detect in malaria diagnosis?
Parasite antigens
What is the impact of some RDTs in detecting parasite antigens?
They can detect parasite antigens up to 2 weeks after treatment
What is the main feature of severe malaria?
Cerebral malaria and prostration
What does P. falciparum do within RBCs?
Invade RBCs of all ages and multiply exponentially without inhibition
What is the classification of malaria based on?
Clinical features and vital organ dysfunction
How are non-microscopy tests for malaria diagnosis conducted?
Identification of parasitic antigen or anti-plasmodial antibodies
What is the limitation of RDTs in malaria diagnosis?
Inability to distinguish between active and past infections
What is the consequence of infected red cells adhering to each other and sometimes to uninfected erythrocytes?
Sequestration of red blood cells in various organs
Which of the following is NOT a preferred treatment for uncomplicated malaria?
Artemether-Piperaquine
What is the recommended initial dose of Artemether for severe malaria if artesunate injection is not available?
3.2 mg/kg IM given on admission
What is the purpose of using two or more blood schizonticidal drugs with independent modes of action in anti-malarial combination therapy?
To improve treatment efficacy and retard the development of resistance
What is the first-line anti-malarial combination therapy of choice in Nigeria?
Artemether-Lumefantrine
What is the definition of treatment failure in the context of malaria treatment?
Fever and parasitaemia fail to resolve or recur within 2 weeks of treatment
What is the recommended chemoprophylaxis for special risk groups in malaria endemic regions?
Malaria chemoprophylaxis
Study Notes
Malaria Pathogenesis and Classification
- P. falciparum can invade RBCs of all ages and multiply exponentially without inhibition by the host or drugs
- Infected red cells adhere to vessel walls (cytoadherence), to each other, and sometimes to uninfected erythrocytes (rosetting)
- Cytoadherence leads to sequestration of red blood cells containing mature parasites in various organs
- Malaria is classified as uncomplicated or severe based on clinical features and vital organ dysfunction
- Uncomplicated malaria presents with symptoms such as fever, chills, headaches, malaise, and nausea/vomiting
- Severe malaria is characterized by asexual P. falciparum infection, life-threatening signs/symptoms, or vital organ dysfunction
- Severe malaria features include cerebral malaria, prostration, multiple convulsions, acidosis, bleeding, hypoglycemia, severe malarial anemia, renal impairment, jaundice, pulmonary edema, and shock
- Malaria is diagnosed through history taking, physical examination, and parasite-based confirmation by microscopy or mRDT
- Microscopy-based tests for malaria diagnosis include blood film light microscopy, QBC method, and BCP procedure
- Non-microscopy tests involve identification of parasitic antigen or anti-plasmodial antibodies, such as RDTs and PCR
- RDTs detect parasite antigens, but cannot quantify the number of parasites or distinguish between active and past infections
- Some RDTs can detect parasite antigens up to 2 weeks after treatment, impacting the accuracy of the test results
Test your knowledge of malaria pathogenesis and classification with this quiz. Learn about the invasion of RBCs by P. falciparum, the classification of malaria, and the diagnosis methods including microscopy and RDTs.
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