Malaria

Question 1

What is the pathogen of malaria?

Answer 1

Plasmodium falciparum

Question 2

What is the organism

Answer 2

Protoctist

Question 3

Method of transmission?

Answer 3

By an insect vector: female anopheles mosquito

Question 4

Global distribution

Answer 4

Tropics and sub tropics

Question 5

Incubation period

Answer 5

From a week to a year

Question 6

Site of action?

Answer 6

Liver
Red blood cells
Brain cells

Question 7

Process on how it is transmitted

Answer 7

1. Mosquito bites someone who is infected with plasmodium, get taken up, goes to salivary glands.
2. Female mosquito then injects salive to prevent blood clotting when they feed on the blood which leads to it entering someone who was uninflected

Question 8

Clinical features

Answer 8

1. Fever
2. Anaemia
3. Nausea
4. Shivering
   5 sweating

Question 9

Method of diagnosis

Answer 9

Microscopical examination of blood or dip stick test

Question 10

Treatment

Answer 10

Anti malarial drugs-
Chloroquine- inhibits protein synthesis

Proguanil- inhibits the sexual reproduction of plasmodium

Also have prophylactic drugs which are taken before during and after visiting area

Question 11

Preventing

Answer 11

Reduce number of mosquitos by having predators that eat them

Avoid being bitten by them- spray and mosquito net

Use drugs to prevent the infection

Question 12

What did the programme against malaria not become successful?

Answer 12

1. Plasmodium became resistant to the drugs used

2. Mosquitos became resistant to DAT

Question 13

Ways to improve this

Answer 13

Modern techniques in gene sequencing

Development of vaccines targeted against different stages

Investments from individuals