Malaria is a disease caused by parasites that infiltrate red blood cells. They spread infections that result in fever, chills and sweating as symptoms of malaria.
Plasmodium protozoa are responsible for most cases of malaria in humans, typically comprising four species that infect them: Plasmodium falciparum, P vivax, P ovale and P malariae.
Plasmodium falciparum
Malaria, caused by a single-celled protozoan parasite from the Plasmodium genus and transmitted through mosquito bites, causes flu-like symptoms in humans including fever, sweating, shivering and shaking; muscle ache; nausea and headache if untreated promptly and adequately; it can even prove fatal if left untreated quickly or adequately.
Malaria symptoms vary depending on which parasite an individual has contracted and its severity; P. falciparum parasite is one of the deadliest forms of malaria and destroys red blood cells, leading to severe anaemia or cerebral malaria if left untreated; additionally it accumulates toxins in both liver and eyes leading to jaundice-causing buildups of toxins in these organs and eyes causing jaundice symptoms.
This parasite begins its lifecycle in the salivary glands of an anopheleline mosquito infected by an anopheles mosquito and forms microsporozoites in their salivary glands, then enters through bites into human bloodstream to invade erythrocytes, where merozoites release themselves and spread through infected red blood cells, eventually infecting other red blood cells throughout their bodies and multiply.
Malaria symptoms vary depending on its type and severity, yet are all effectively treated by medicines. Severe malaria symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, difficulty breathing and severe anemia – although severe infections have also been known to enlarge spleens, leading to tropical splenomegaly.
Plasmodium vivax
Plasmodium vivax is one of four malaria parasite species responsible for human disease. These obligate intracellular protozoa are spread via mosquito bites from Anopheles mosquitoes but they may also spread via blood transfusion, organ transplantation, needle sharing or congenitally from mother to foetus during gestation. Malaria remains one of the world’s leading causes of mortality and is found worldwide but particularly prevalent in tropical regions like Africa.
When mosquitoes bite someone with malaria, they pick up parasites from their blood. Once infected with malaria, mosquitoes then bite noninfected people to spread it further and spread further infection through bloodstream-to-liver passageway and eventually infect red blood cells.
Malaria symptoms arise when infected red blood cells rupture, releasing harmful parasites which release irritants that damage organs. They can range from mild to severe and often appear quickly.
Treatment for malaria can be complex due to its vast selection of drugs. Medication selection will depend on your symptoms and location; combination drugs will kill all immature parasites in your body to stop their regrowth; pregnancy and age can affect treatment as children will require smaller dosages, while some drugs are unsafe during gestation.
Plasmodium ovale
P. ovale malaria parasite is much less prevalent and milder than the two other strains responsible for most human cases of disease: Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax. Nevertheless, its symptoms can still be severe enough to be fatal in certain circumstances; such symptoms include fever, chills, anemia, jaundice, flu-like symptoms alternating with episodes that often arise among children in areas where malaria is prevalent or travelers visiting these locations.
An infection of malaria starts when a mosquito bites and drinks blood from someone suffering from malaria. Once in their system, parasites invade hepatocytes where they undergo asexual reproduction to produce merozoites which then move through their circulatory system to infiltrate red blood cells where more gametocytes form that will then spread throughout their systems, infecting more red cells and further spreading infection.
Plasmodium ovale has the ability to remain dormant within liver tissue for extended periods, known as hypnozoites. This characteristic makes diagnosis and treatment of this disease particularly challenging.
Although malaria symptoms resemble those of influenza, a thorough history is key for accurate diagnosis. Someone exhibiting malarial symptoms must have recently traveled or resided in an area with malarial parasites; additionally they should present with fever and other symptoms. Giemsa-stained thin and thick blood smears can detect malarial parasites present within your body using their distinctive ring-shaped trophozoites as well as visible chromatin dots seen on thin blood smears; thin blood smears also allow you to detect their presence within.
Plasmodium malariae
Plasmodium malariae is a parasite that causes disease in humans, transmitted via mosquito bites. It can lead to severe symptoms and death among children under five years old, pregnant women, people living in endemic areas and people infected during birth (causing congenital malaria).
Malaria symptoms arise when parasites infect red blood cells and release irritants that cause them to break down, releasing their contents – including merozoites – into the bloodstream where they attack other red blood cells, eventually repeating this cycle and leading to symptoms and organ damage. This process can result in lasting infections causing serious health concerns and damage for all involved parties.
Merozoites reach the liver and multiply, providing an indicator of their activity level. Once in the liver, merozoites reach a critical mass that acts like an accelerant for further infection – with any one liver-stage schizont containing up to 40,000 uninucleate merozoites before rupture unleashing them back into circulation for attack on red blood cells in its path.
Malaria symptoms typically begin 10-4 weeks following an infected mosquito bite, but can take anywhere from 2-3 months depending on the species of Plasmodium involved and an individual patient’s immune system. Some species, like P. vivax and P. ovale, can remain dormant for months or even up to one year before returning as illness-causing organisms.
