Malaria (lecture) Flashcards
What are the 5 species that cause malaria?
Plasmodium falciparum, vivid, ovale, malariae, knowlesi
If in doubt of which species of malaria is being asked about, what should your choice be?
falciparum: It is the most clinically significant
What is the vector of malaria?
Female Anophelene mosquitoes
http://news.psu.edu/photo/305311/2014/02/23/blue-are-plasmodium-falciparum-malaria-parasites-sexual-gametocyte-stage
Name that species….
falciparum: Notice the banana shape
What is the first organ targeted by malaria?
Liver
Where in the malaria life cycle is the protozoa transmittable from humans to mosquitoes?
Gametocytes
What form of malaria is transmittable from mosquito to human?
Sporozoite
What form of malaria is responsible for the pathology seen in humans?
Schizont is responsible for RBC lysis
What are three proposed evolutionary adaptations of malaria resistance?
Duffy antigen negative (used for malarial entry into RBC)
Sickle cell trait
G-6-PD deficiency
How does mild malaria affect Hgb, platelets, and total bilirubin?
a SLIGHT decrease in each
What are the three most important prognostic factors of malaria infection?
- Species: falciparum is the worst
- Degree of acidosis
- Degree of parasitemia
What is the characteristic of falciparum that leads to its more severe infection?
It is able to infect RBCs at any age.
What pathophysiology leads to end organ damage in malaria infection?
Increased expression of adhesion molecules on the surface of RBCs leads to sequestration and blocking of post capillary venules. This causes backup of blood and tissue hypoxia.
What is the prognosis of cerebral malaria?
Bad: 100% death w/out treatment, 20% w/ treatment
10% of survivors show long term neuro sequelae
Know how to interpret BINAX results.
http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/diagnosticProcedures/blood/antigendetection.html
Do it…
