Tobias, Ronald Anthony D.

BSN 2-5

Malaria

Disease entity:
The malaria parasite requires specific human and mosquito tissues to complete its
life cycle. Once inside a human, the parasite develops and multiplies, causing periodic
bouts of flu-like symptoms, including fever, headache, and chills. The developing
parasites destroy red blood cells, which may cause death by severe anemia as well as by
the clogging of capillaries that supply the brain or other vital organs with blood. The
deadliest of the four species of the parasite is Plasmodium falciparum, a species most
likely to be transmitted by the mosquito Anopheles gambiae. The genomes of humans, A.
gambiae, and P. falciparum have recently been sequenced, and hopefully this information
will point the way to new avenues of vaccination, treatment, or eradication of this
disease. Click on the adjacent thumbnail for more information about the life cycle of
Plasmodium falciparum within a mosquito and a human.
A protozoan disease caused in humans by four species of the PLASMODIUM
genus: PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM; PLASMODIUM VIVAX; PLASMODIUM
OVALE; and PLASMODIUM MALARIAE; and transmitted by the bite of an infected
female mosquito of the genus ANOPHELES. Malaria is endemic in parts of Asia, Africa,
Central and South America, Oceania, and certain Caribbean islands. It is characterized by
extreme exhaustion associated with paroxysms of high FEVER; SWEATING; shaking
CHILLS; and ANEMIA. Malaria in ANIMALS is caused by other species of plasmodia.

Pathophysiology: