Malaria

Question 1

What are the two hosts of plasmodium spp.?

Answer 1

Humans - muliply in liver and then RBCs

Female mosquito

Question 2

What is the Plasmodium life cycle?

Answer 2

Sprozoite –> Schizont –> Merozoite

Question 3

What are the disease states of malaria?

Answer 3

Primary - first clinical episode following sporozoite inoculation

Relapse - release of blood stage parasites from a liver stage

Recrudesence - persistent bloodstream infection

Question 4

What are the symptoms of clinical malaria?

Answer 4

Flue-like symptoms but worse

Anemia and associated symptoms

History of travel

Question 5

What organism causes cerebral malaria?

Answer 5

P. falciparum

Causes end-organ failure

Question 6

What are the signs/symptoms of cerebral malaria?

Answer 6

Prostration, impaired consciousness

Convulsions, jaundice

Pulmonary edema/hypotension

Question 7

How is malaria diagnosed?

Answer 7

Microscopy - thick/thin films

Rapid diagnostic antigen tests - Binax NOW

PCR

Question 8

What are the treatments for malaria?

Answer 8

Chloroquine

Malarone - Atovaquone/proguanil

Artemether-lumefantein (LA)

Mefloquine (Larum)

Question 9

What are the prophylactic therapies for malaria?

Answer 9

Malarone

Mefloquine

Doxycyline

Primaquine

Question 10

What are the protective factors against malaria?

Answer 10

Sickle cell trait

Duffy-negative blood type

Immunity

Question 11

What groups are at risk for malaria?

Answer 11

Children

Pregnant women