Malaria Characteristics Flashcards
What is the characteristic periodicity of the life cycle of Plasmodium vivax?
- Exhibits a 48-hour cycle.
Which type of red blood cells does Plasmodium vivax preferentially infect?
- Tends to infect young red blood cells.
What is the notable feature regarding the size of red blood cells infected by Plasmodium vivax?
- Infected red blood cells exhibit enlargement.
What is the term for the stippling seen in Plasmodium vivax-infected red blood cells after 8-10 hours?
- Schuffner dots, also known as true stippling.
Describe the appearance of the ring form of Plasmodium vivax trophozoite.
- The ring form of Plasmodium vivax trophozoite is delicate in appearance.
How would you characterize the trophozoite of Plasmodium vivax?
- Very amoeboid in nature.
How many merozoites are typically contained within a mature schizont of Plasmodium vivax?
- A mature schizont of Plasmodium vivax usually contains 12-24 merozoites.
What is the characteristic cycle duration of Plasmodium malariae (quartan malaria)?
- 72-hour cycle, indicating a relatively long incubation period.
Which type of red blood cells does P. malariae tend to infect?
- Tends to infect old red blood cells.
What is the size of the red blood cells infected by P. malariae?
- Normal-sized red blood cells.
Does P. malariae exhibit stippling in infected red blood cells?
- **No stippling. **
How would you describe the appearance of the ring and nucleus in P. malariae trophozoites?
- Exhibit a thick ring and have a large nucleus.
In what pattern does the trophozoite of P. malariae tend to form across the infected cell?
- Tends to form “bands” across the infected cell.
How many merozoites are typically found in a mature schizont of P. malariae?
- A mature schizont of P. malariae typically contains 6-12 merozoites.
What is the characteristic cycle duration of Plasmodium ovale?
- 48-hour cycle.
Which type of red blood cells does P. ovale tend to infect?
- Infect young red blood cells.
How would you describe the appearance of infected red blood cells in P. ovale?
- Show enlarged cells with fimbriated edges, forming an oval shape.
What distinguishes P. ovale from P. vivax in terms of Schuffner dots?
- Schuffner dots appear in the beginning in red blood cells with very young ring forms in P. ovale, in contrast to P. vivax.
How does the size of the ring form in P. ovale compare to that of P. vivax?
- The ring form in P. ovale is smaller than that in P. vivax.
In what way is the trophozoite of P. ovale different from that of P. vivax?
- The trophozoite of P. ovale is less amoeboid than that of P. vivax.
How many merozoites does the mature schizont of P. ovale typically contain?
- The mature schizont of P. ovale contains an average of 8 merozoites.
What is the characteristic cycle duration of Plasmodium falciparum (malignant tertian malaria)?
- 36-48 hours.
Which types of red blood cells does Plasmodium falciparum tend to infect?
- Tends to infect any red blood cell regardless of age, leading to potential heavy infections.
What is the range of red blood cell sizes infected by Plasmodium falciparum?
- Infects red blood cells of all sizes.
What distinguishes the appearance of Plasmodium falciparum from other malaria parasites in terms of dots?
- Exhibits no Schuffner dots; instead, Maurer dots may be present, which are larger, single dots with a bluish tint.
What is notable about the stages seen in the peripheral blood of individuals infected with Plasmodium falciparum?
- Multiple rings/cells are observed, with only young rings, gametocytes, and occasional mature schizonts present in the peripheral blood.
How would you describe the appearance of the rings of Plasmodium falciparum?
- Rings are delicate and may have two dots of chromatin per ring; applique or accole forms may also be observed.
What is the characteristic shape of gametocytes in Plasmodium falciparum?
- Gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum are crescent-shaped.
What is the characteristic cycle duration of Plasmodium knowlesi (simian malaria)?
- 24 hours.
How does Plasmodium knowlesi behave in terms of infecting red blood cells?
- Tends to infect any red blood cell regardless of age, potentially leading to a very heavy infection.
What sizes of red blood cells does Plasmodium knowlesi infect, and what is the predominant size?
- Infects red blood cells of all sizes, but most tend to be of normal size.
What distinguishes Plasmodium knowlesi from other malaria parasites in terms of Schuffner dots during its life cycle?
* Lacks Schuffner dots, which are faint, clumpy dots later in the cycle.
How many rings per cell are typically observed in Plasmodium knowlesi infections?
- Infections may exhibit multiple rings per cell, often ranging from 2 to 3.
Describe the appearance of the rings and chromatin in Plasmodium knowlesi.
- Rings are delicate and may have 2 to 3 dots of chromatin per ring, with appliqué forms.
What trophozoite form is commonly seen in Plasmodium knowlesi infections?
* Band form trophozoites are commonly observed in Plasmodium knowlesi infections.
How many merozoites are contained in the mature schizont of Plasmodium knowlesi, and is the formation of rosettes present?
* The mature schizont of Plasmodium knowlesi contains 16 merozoites, and there are no rosettes formed.
How do gametocytes of Plasmodium knowlesi appear and behave within red blood cells?
* Gametocytes of Plasmodium knowlesi are round in shape and tend to fill the host cell.
What do the early and later stages of Plasmodium knowlesi mimic, respectively, in terms of other Plasmodium species?
* The early stages of Plasmodium knowlesi mimic P. falciparum, while the later stages mimic P. malariae.
What is the recommended timeframe for the preparation of thick and thin blood films after collection?
A) Within 30 minutes
B) Within 45 minutes
C) Within 60 minutes
D) Within 90 minutes
C) Within 60 minutes
Which component of the blood is primarily focused on when preparing thick and thin blood films?
A) White Blood Cells (WBC)
B) Platelets
C) Red Blood Cells (RBC)
D) Plasma
C) Red Blood Cells (RBC)
