Plasmodium falciparum

Plasmodium parasites are single-celled eukaryotes with a multi-stage life cycle involving development within both human and mosquito hosts.

There are four types of human malaria –Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium malariae and Plasmodium ovale.

Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are the most common forms of human malaria with Plasmodium falciparum is by far the most deadly type of malaria infection causing more than a million deaths, particularly in Africa.

Its cyclic paroxysms occur every 36 to 48 hours. It ranks second in prevalence and is chiefly a tropical species. Clinically, Plasmodium falciparum infections are the most serious of the four, it tends to run a shorter course without relapse.

The incubation period for Plasmodium falciparum malaria in human blood before symptom begin to show is between 10 to 14 days, during which time the parasites undergo several reproductive cycles and their numbers grow.

Once the population of parasites has become large enough, the rupture of the blood cells and their release of parasites cause the victim to feel chills, one of the most common symptoms.

In addition to fever with rigors, nausea, and hot and cold phases, Plasmodium falciparum infection can also present with diarrhea and cough. Serious complications include severe anemia, cerebral involvement and failure of major organs such as kidneys and liver.
Plasmodium falciparum

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 

What are the symptoms of malaria?

Malaria is an important cause of death and illness in children and adults, especially in tropical countries. 

Malaria is caused by infection of red blood cells with protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium. There are four species of plasmodium protozoa involved: vivax, falciparum, malariae, and ovale.

The parasites are inoculated into the human host by a feeding female anopheline mosquito.

The signs and symptoms of malaria might be vague, but fever is generally present. The first symptoms of malaria are non-specific and similar to the symptoms of a minor systemic viral illness.

Fever is the most prominent symptom which is often accompanied by headache, lassitude, fatique, back pain and muscle and joint aches, usually followed by chills, perspiration, anorexia, vomiting, diarrhea, nausea, increased sweating, and worsening malaise.

Cough and shortness of breath are common. When synchronous infections develop, each species of Plasmodium causes a characteristics pattern of periodic fever.

In addition to these symptoms of uncomplicated malaria, other manifestations may develop that signal severe malaria, which is almost due to Plasmodium falciparum.

These include confusion or drowsiness with prostration, together with severe manifestation such as cerebral malaria, severe anemia and others.

Untreated Plasmodium falciparum infection can lead to coma, renal failure, pulmonary edema and death. The other three forms of malaria (vivax, ovale and malariae) are rarely life threatening.
What are the symptoms of malaria?

Malaria - Infectious disease

Malaria - Infectious disease
Malaria kills three people every minute. Each year, it is thought that as many as 2.7 million people die from malaria and between 300 and 500 million suffer potentially fatal cases. The disease threatens 2.5 billion people, almost half the world’s population.

African countries south of the Sahara desert account for 90% of all clinical cases and nearly 90% of deaths caused by malaria. Children are most vulnerable to this major killer. In rural, tropical African areas, one child in 20 dies from malaria before he or she reaches the age of five years.

What is Malaria?
Malaria is a disease, caused by any of four species of parasite that is carried from person to person by a mosquito and transmitted by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.

Malaria is primarily a disease of the blood cells and small blood vessels. By causing the cells to become ‘sticky’ and eventually to burst, it causes blockages of the small blood vessels in the major organs of the body. This can cause severe disease and death – in case of the infection with the P. falciparum species of malaria, this can occur within 24 hrs of the disease first becoming evident.

Malaria caused by the other three parasite, namely Plasmodium vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae, is much milder and does not cause death, although they cause recurrent malaria than in itself is a debilitating disease.

The malaria parasite is found mostly in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Mosquito breeding is severely hampered in temperatures below 20 degree C. Optimal conditions for breeding are at temperatures around 30 degree C together with humidity levels of over 60%. Consequently, temperature and humidity largely dictate whether a country is likely to experience year-round malaria, seasonal malaria or localized break through.

The severity of malaria and its incidence is governed also by the immunity levels of the host, man. Immunity depends on constant exposure to the malaria-infected mosquito. Hence war and civil disturbances leading to an influx of non-immune workers, as well as tourism, all lead to the exposure of non immune to the malaria parasite.
Malaria - Infectious disease