Micro- Malaria Flashcards
What is algid malaria?
Complication of falciparum malaria where there is:
- vascular collapse
- shock
- drop in body temperature
What is bilious remittent fever?
Impairment of liver function an marked jaundice associated with falciparum malaria
What is “blackwater” fever?
Complication of falciparum malaria where there is massive hemolysis and hemoglobinuria.
What is cerebral malaria?
Complication of falciparum malaria where there is:
- cerebral capillary obstruction
- brain congestion
- brain swelling
What form of the malaria parasite is responsible for infecting more mosquitoes?
Gametocyte [male or female] in the RBC
*females are called macrogametocytes, males are called microgametocytes
What 2 strains of malaria have hypnozoites?
Hypnozoite is a dormant form of malaria in liver cells
- Plasmodium vivax
- plasmodium ovale
What is a merozoite?
form of the malaria parasite that results from asexual multiplication within the RBC
It is released from the mature schizont to infect other RBCs
What is the ring stage?
First stage of development of malaria parasites in the RBC.
It consists of a ring of cytoplasm and a dot of nuclear material surrounding a vacuole
What area is considered to be a zone of chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum?
at the present time, nearly ALL P. falciparum are chloroquine resistant except in:
- Haiti
- Central America north of the Panama Canal
What are the 5 species that can cause malaria in humans?
P. falciparum P. vivax P. ovale P. knowlesi [S.E. Asia--Malaysia] P. malariae
P. knowlesi was prior thought to only be a primate pathogen but now it has been shown to infect humans in what area?
What does P. knowlesi resemble microscopically? How does it different from this strain clinically?
It infects humans in Southeast Asia, specifically Malaysia
Microscopically it resembles P. malariae but it has a MUCH more severe disease
Describe the pathogenesis of malaria protozoa parasites.
What vector transits the plasmodium to humans?
- Plasmodium sporozoites are transmitted to humans via Anopheles mosquitos that take a blood meal
- In liver cells, sporozoites mature into schizonts and mature into merozoites.
- Merozoites released from the liver invade RBCs and attach themselves to specific binding sites on RBC
- in RBC, merozoites feed on Hb and other proteins and mature into trophozoites
- Trophozoites undergo nuclear division [without cell division] to form 16-32 parasite nuclei [Schizonts] in a single RBC
- RBC ruptures, and schizonts release merozoites to infect new RBCs
What are the 4 developmental stages of malaria apparent in peripheral blood?
- ring stage - early, asexual stage in RBC, ring-shaped
- Trophozoites- further development asexual stage that is larger, less ring-shaped, with accumulation of malarial pigment [hemozoin]
- Schizonts- late asexual stage where the parasite has divided into merozoites each containing chromatin.
- Gametocytes- sexual stage. The forms have no relevance to disease, but are necessary for infection of mosquitos
Describe the appearance of P. vivax in trophozoite stage blood smears.
- RBC appearance
- trophozoite appearance
- Erythrocyte it lives in is usually younger and thus LARGER than other RBCs
- amoeboid appearance
- Schuffner’s dots = inclusion of RBC [little pink dots]
Describe the appearance of P. ovale in trophozoite stage blood smears.
- oval, tear drop or elongated RBC with “pulled out” fimbriated cell membranes
- James dots= inclusion bodies