Plasmodium and malaria

Plasmodium, commonly known as the malaria parasite, is a large genus of parasitic protozoa. There are four main forms of human malaria. In humans, the causative agents are four species of plasmodium protozoa (single celled parasites), including vivax, falciparum, malariae and ovale.

The strains of malaria such as P. vivax, ovale, or malariae can infect the liver and persist in a dormant state for months, or even up to several years, after exposure.

Plasmodium vivax is perhaps the most prevalent of the four and is the species most frequently encountered in temperate zone. Plasmodium vivax is a tertian malaria since its cyclic paroxysm occur every 48 hours. Tertian mean that the symptoms occurs in three day cycles.

Plasmodium ovale causes a mild and very rarely fatal form of malaria. Similarly, Plasmodium malariae causes a mild infection. Plasmodium malariae is often referred to as ‘quartan’ malaria, meaning the fever and other symptoms run in four-day cycles.

Plasmodium falciparum strain is the most common type of malaria. It causes severe infections that kill millions of people every year worldwide. Clinically, Plasmodium falciparum are the most serious of the four, but it tends to run a shorter course without relapse.

Because of this risk of relapse, travelers to malarious areas are not allowed to donate blood for up to three years after returning.
Plasmodium and malaria