MALARIA

LOOK OUT FOR THESE ANSWERS
1. When all the parasites have reproduced in the liver and have been released in the bloodstream all at once, this form of malaria is called ____________.
2. What kind of lab test is performed?

WHAT IS MALARIA

• Malaria is a serious disease that is spread by mosquitos.
• It is caused by a parasite.
• If not properly treated it can be fatal.
• The parasite first travels to the liver where it multiplies.
• It then breaks off into the bloodstream and destroys red blood cells.

ANOPHELES MOSQUITO

PARASITE THAT CAUSES MALARIA

THE LIFE CYCLE OF MALARIA

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF MALARIA
THEY INCLUDE: fever, chills
(early stage)
Nausea, headache, fatigue
(hot stage)
Anemia, brain & kidney damage
(Long-term)

MALIGNANT MALARIA

• Life threatening form of malaria
• Causes one single and extreme attack
• Causes symptoms within 3 months of transmission
• Caused by the plasmodium falciparum parasite
• All the parasites are released into the bloodstream at once

BENIGN MALARIA

• A mild strain of malaria
• Capable of remaining dormant for up to a year
• Causes relapses of symptoms
• Caused by plasmodium vivax parasite
• Has influenza type symptoms

MALIGNANT MALARIA

BENIGN MALARIA

DIAGNOSIS

• Diagnosis can be difficult or too late due to flu-like symptoms
• Malaria can be suspected if person has traveled outside of USA
• Along with travel; certain symptoms
• Physical findings at examination
• Lab tests (GEIMSA STAIN)

ORGANS AND TISSUES AFFECTED

• Nervous system
• Immune system
• Liver
• Red blood cells
• Cerebral

PROGNOSIS

• Outcome depends on type of malaria contracted
• Uncomplicated malaria can relapse for up to five years.
• Falciparum malaria can cause cerebral damage
• Coma
• Death within 24 hours

The malaria parasite must evade the human immune system in order for the disease to spread. It changes a critical protein on its surface, switching on and off a molecular "key" to alter its presence, stay hidden, and enter into a new red blood cell where it transforms back into its normal state, and reproducing, over and over again.

Anyone who gets infected by a anopheles mosquito can contract malaria.People who are carriers of the sickle cell trait, or who are carriers of thalassemia, are more resistant to catching malaria than the general population. This is why these diseases are more prevalent in people whose ancestry comes from parts of the world where malaria is prevalent, such as Africa, the Mediterranean, and South Asia.

MEDICATIONS

Antimalarial medications, also known as antimalarials, are designed to prevent or cure malaria. These drugs may be used for some or all of the following:

Treatment of malaria in individuals with suspected or confirmed infection
Prevention of infection in individuals visiting a malaria-endemic region who have no immunity (Malaria prophylaxis)
Routine intermittent treatment of certain groups in endemic regions (Intermittent preventive therapy)
Some antimalarial agents, particularly chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, are also used in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus-associated arthritis.

STATISTICS

Africa

The details of the life-cycle of Plasmodium and Anopheles and their interaction were discovered by Dr Ronald Ross (1857–1932) who obtained a Nobel prize for his work. However it is interesting that he concentrated on the effects of the parasite on birds, but disproved a previous theory that merely drinking water contaminated with mosquito larvae could pass on the disease. In fact Giovanni Grassi (1854-1925) made the final connections with malaria in humans as a result of direct experimentation on human volunteers using mosquitoes from infested areas within Italy. He also carried out large scale experimentation on railway workers, dividing them into groups with and without screened houses for protection after dusk!

Anopheles mosquitoes are known to be attracted to chemicals produced by the human body, such as sweat, especially from the foot region. Similar compounds are given off by some types of cheese!

Biotopics.co.uk/malaria/malaria.html

Global Health "Malaria Diagnosis (United States)", CDC.gov/malaria/diagnosis, CDC.gov

RightDiagnosis.com/m/malaria/prognosis.html, 17, June 2014

Symptoms-of-malaria.com, 2010

Tintinalli, Judith E., ed. Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine: a comprehensive study guide. 7th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2011: 1056-1062. 19,March.2014