Malaria #12

Medical Microbiology Disease of the week 6

classification

Malaria (protozoan disease of the blood)

causative organism

Plasmodium (P. falciparum)

(eukaryote: protozoa; obligate intracellular parasite; non-motile; complex multi host life cycle)

epidemiology

reservoir- humans and mosquitoes

portal of entry- skin—circulatory system

transmission- mosquito bite (vector=female Anopheles mosquito, vertical, latent infections)

incubation

1-5 weeks

pathogenesis

protozoans replicate in human hepatocytes. Cell lyses and release of next protozoa stage causes inflammation and fever. Protozoa replicate in RBCs causes cellular damage and adhesion to vascular surfaces. Ruptured RBC is associated with inflammation, fever, anemia, and depriving tissue of O2

symptoms

cycles of flu-like syptoms: fever, chills, tiredness, nausea/vomiting, headache, diarrhea

complications

anemia, jaundice, seizures, coma, kidney failure, relapse, mortality

prevention

limit mosquito contact, avoid endemic malaria areas, insecticides, barriers (protective clothing), Repellents (DEET), GM mosquito, vaccine, prophylaxis with anti-malaria drugs

treatment

anti-malaria drug combinations:

Mefloquine

Chloroquine

Quinine

doxycycline