Malaria and other blood-borne parasites

Question 1

2 main categories of parasites

Answer 1

Protozoa and helminth

Question 2

Protozoan infections

Answer 2

Malaria, babesiosis, trypanosomiasis

Question 3

Helminth infections

Answer 3

Loiasis

Lymphatic filariasis

Question 4

Lifecycle of plasmodium

Answer 4

Human is bitten by anopheles mosquito
Mosquito carries plasmodium falciparum
Parasites migrate as sporozoites to the liver
Here they replicate and turn into merozoites
Parasites rupture liver cells and return to blood circulation
Erythrocytic stage of parasite causes RBCs to rupture
In the RBCs, the parasites replicate as trophozoites and schizonts that produce further merozoites

Question 5

Malarial retinopathy

Answer 5

malaria parasites make RBCs sticky and so stop their movement to the spleen to stop being destroyed. The RBCs lodge in vasculature surrounding the retina and occlude vision

Question 6

Malaria and seizures

Answer 6

Parasite sequestration in the brain (ataxia, paresis, deafness, epilepsy) = cerebral malaria

Question 7

Malaria and severe anaemia

Answer 7

Malarial infection causes haemolytic of infected erythrocytes and bone marrow dyserythropoiesis which compromises anaemia recovery

Question 8

Malaria treatment

Answer 8

Quinine and chloroquine (bad side effects e.g. itching), artemisinin

Question 9

Symptoms of malaria

Answer 9

Fever
Headaches
Vomiting and nausea
Diarrhoea