Plasmodium species

Question 1

What are the 2 hosts for Plasmodium species and what are they for?

Answer 1

1. Mosquito (anopheles)

: for sexual reproduction (gametogony)

2. Humans / animals

: for asexual reproduction (schizogony)

Question 2

What are the 5 species & diseases (cycles of paraxysms) of Plasmodium?l

Answer 2

- Plasmodium falciparum (malignant tertian)

: most virulent / deadly

: affects RBCs

- Plasmodium vivax (benign tertian)

- Plasmodium ovale (benign tertian)

- Plasmodium knowlesi (Simian malaria- infects Macaques and Humans)- newly added to the other four species

- Plasmodium malariae (Quartan or malarial)

Question 3

Epidemiology of Plasmodium

Answer 3

• causes 1-5 billion fever epidosdes and 1-3 million deaths per year, 85% in Africa
• naturally transmitted by mosquitoes
• Malaria can also be transmitted vua blood transfusions or sharing syringes

Question 4

Distribution of Plasmodium vivax

Answer 4

• most prevalent of human plasmodia
• widest geographical area
• includes tropics, subtropics and temperate regions

Question 5

Distribution of Plasmodium ovale

Answer 5

• primarily in tropical Africa
• also in Asia & S. America

Question 6

Distribution of Plasmodium malariae

Answer 6

• primarily in subtropics & temperate regions

Question 7

Distribution of Plasmodium falciparum

Answer 7

• almost exclusively in tropical & subtropical regions
• co-infection with HIV is common and can pose risk factor for severe malaria