302 Pathogenesis of malaria Flashcards
What are the 5 types of plasmodium species?
-P.falciparum (most deadly)
-P.vivax
-P.ovale
-P.malariae
-P.knolesi
How is malaria transmitted?
Anopheles mosquito
Malaria multiply inside the mosquito and is put into the body through saliva
It infects and multiplies within the body using red blood cells
At what temperature does malaria replicate?
> 16degrees c
It will stop replicating if lower
What factors make you think it’s malaria?
Clinical syndrome that fits and going somewhere that could expose the person to malaria
How does malaria fever develop?
If malaria is untreated, the bursting of red blood cells contain the parasite will come into synch and burst at the same time
Different species have different fever points
How is malaria diagnsoed?
Giemsa-stained blood film or a rapid diagnostic test like the ONE for COVID
What is a thick film for malaria?
It increases sensitivity
It layers red blood cells so you are more likely to see an abnormal one
What is a thin film for malaria?
To identify species of the malaria
What are schizonts?
Red blood cells about to burst with malaria disease
What are the symptoms of malaria?
No specific symptoms
Fever
aching
belly ache
What is the difference between uncomplicated and severe malaria?
Uncomplicated:
Parasitaemia <2%, no schizonts, no clinical complications
Severe: parasitaemia >2% or presence of schizonts and clinical complications
What is the pathogenesis of malaria?
They insert their proteins onto the red blood cell that form adhesive knobs and cause red blood cells to link together. It causes blood flow impairment, hypoxia, cytokine release with tissue damage
This means that responses are localised because the cells are close together and this evades the immune response
Malaria also has a lot of antigenic variation that means the body doesn’t recognise it
How does malaria cause anaemia?
Rupture of schizonts
Splenic clearance
Bone marrow suppression
What are some treatments for malaria?
Quinine
-Causes hypoglycaemia and arrhythmias and mortality remains high
Artesunate
-reduces parasite burden very quickly by acting at 2 areas of the malaria life cycle
Chloroquine
What does liver hypnozoite stage mean?
The malaria remains ‘asleep’ in the liver until its ready to infect the blood
