Disease Forms - Malaria

Question 1

What is Malaria?

Answer 1

A protista pathogen (plasmodium infection).

Question 2

What are the symptoms of the disease?

Answer 2

Intial: 
- Headaches, fever, shivering, chills.
- When red blood cells rupture & release merozoites - toxins from this enter the bloodstream.
Secondary:
- Aneamia; lowers oxygen levels.
- Inflamed liver/spleen.
- Death.

Question 3

Outline its lifecycle.

Answer 3

• Zygotes form to sporozoites in the gut of the female mosquito (Anopheles).
• Sporozoites migrate to the salvary gland.
• Mosquito bites a host, injecting saliva.
• Sporozoites invade liver cells.
• Multiply via. asexual reproduction into 100’s of merozoites, infecting red blood cells - developing into male/female gametocytes.
• Taken up with blood when sucked from the host.
• Travelling to the gut, maturing into gametes and forming zygotes. Repeating the cycle to infect new hosts.

Question 4

Where is the disease distributed?

Answer 4

The Anopheles mosquito vector resides in tropical regions of Africa, Asia and South America.
Not in Australia.

Question 5

How does it spread?

Answer 5

Through Anopheles mosquitos, acting as a vectors; transmitting the pathogen when sucking blood - injecting saliva.

Question 6

How do we manage the disease/prevention?

Answer 6

Treatment consists of various anti-malarial medications, usually (antiparasitics/antibiotics).
To avoid infection; you can cover skin, spray repellant, vaccinate against the disease, avoid areas where the pathogen is prevelant.