Plasmodium Malaria: Life Cycle, Species, Pathology & Immunity

What is the insect vector for Plasmodium?

Anopheles mosquito

What is the reservoir host for Plasmodium species?

Primates

What substance does Plasmodium produce in host red blood cells?

Hemozoin

What are the three main stages of the Plasmodium life cycle?

Pre-erythrocytic, erythrocytic, and sporogenic cycles

Who won the Nobel Prize in 1902 for work on the malaria life cycle?

Ronald Ross

What is the role of rhoptries in Plasmodium?

They contain parasite proteins that help invade host cells.

What occurs during the pre-erythrocytic stage of Plasmodium?

Sporozoites invade liver cells.

What happens during the erythrocytic stage of Plasmodium?

Merozoites invade red blood cells and develop into trophozoites.

What is the significance of hypnozoites in Plasmodium vivax?

They cause relapses by remaining dormant in the liver.

What type of malaria does Plasmodium falciparum cause?

Malignant tertian malaria

What is a characteristic feature of Plasmodium falciparum's trophozoites?

They produce proteins that form 'knobs' on red blood cell membranes.

What is the typical fever cycle for Plasmodium malariae?

72-hour cycle

What is the primary cause of blackwater fever?

Massive lysis of red blood cells

What immune response is triggered by Plasmodium infection?

Strong proinflammatory immune responses

What is the role of CD8+ T cells in Plasmodium infection?

They kill infected liver cells.

What is the impact of TNF in severe malaria cases?

It contributes to hypoglycemia, coagulopathy, and impaired erythropoiesis.

How does Plasmodium falciparum cause cerebral malaria?

By adhering to capillaries in the brain, leading to hypoxia.

What is the treatment approach for malaria?

Depends on the species of parasite and the patient's clinical status.

What is the evolutionary advantage of the sickle cell trait?

It provides resistance to malaria.

What is the Duffy blood group associated with?

It is a receptor for Plasmodium vivax.

What are the symptoms of malaria paroxysm?

Cold stage (shivering), hot stage (fever), and sweating stage.

What is the role of merozoites in the malaria life cycle?

They invade red blood cells and develop into trophozoites.

What is the significance of gametocytes in Plasmodium?

They are involved in the sexual reproduction phase in the mosquito.

What is the function of dense granules in Plasmodium?

They contain proteins that modify the host cell membrane.

What is the typical duration of immunity in infants against malaria?

Complete immunity is observed in 2-3 month old infants.

What is the primary cause of anemia in malaria?

Destruction of infected and uninfected red blood cells.

What are Maurer's clefts?

Irregular botches formed by proteins in the RBC membrane during P. falciparum infection.

What is the role of the spleen in malaria pathology?

It removes uninfected red blood cells and contributes to anemia.

What is the characteristic of P. ovale?

It causes mild tertian malaria and is the rarest of the malarial parasites.