(ID)- Malaria Flashcards
What is the most common type of malaria?
Plasmodium falciparum
80%
How is malaria spread?
Female Anopheles mosquitoes
What are the different types of malaria?
Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium vivax
Plasmodium malariae
Plasmodium ovale
Plasmodium knowlesi
Outline the life cycle for the spread of malaria
Spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes at night
Feeding mosquito takes infected blood, parasites reproduce in the mosquito gut, producing sporozoites
Mosquito bites and injects sporozoites
Sporozoites travel to the liver and mature into merozoites which enter and infect RBCS
Merozoites reproduce in RBCs, which then rupture releasing merozoites into the blood causing haemolytic anaemia
What are hypnozoites?
Dormant sporozoites in the liver for months or years before reactivation
What types of malaria do you get hypnozoites?
Plasmodium vivax and ovale
How often are merozoites released in different types of malaria?
P. vivax and ovale
Every 48 hours, causing a fever spike every other day
(tertian malaria)
P. falciparum
More frequent (subtertian) or irregular fever spikes
P.malariae
Every 72 hours (quartan)
How does malaria present?
1-4 weeks after exposure
Fever with sweats and rigors (spiking very high every 48 hours)
Fatigue
Myalgia
Headache
Nausea and vomiting
What signs on examination are there for malaria?
Pallor (anaemia)
Hepatosplenomegaly
Jaundice (bilirubin released during RBC rupture)
How is malaria diagnosed?
Malaria blood film
Sent in EDTA bottle
What is needed to exclude malaria?
Three negative samples taken over three consecutive days due to parasites being released from RBCs every 48-72 hours
Who advises on management of malaria?
Infectious diseases team
How is uncomplicated malaria treated?
First line
Riamet
Second line
Quinine + doxycycline
Quinine + clindamycin
Malarone
Chloroquine (increasing resistance)
Primaquine
When should patients NOT be given primaquine?
G6PDH deficiency
Causes severe haemolysis
How is severe or complicated malaria treated?
Artesunate, first choice (haemolysis side effect)
Quinine dihydrochloride