Plasmodium Falciparum

Physiology and Structure:

Plasmodium Falciparum does not specifically select its host; it invades any red blood cell at any stage of existance. Multiple sporozoites can infect a single erythrocyte, this leads to three or even four small rings to appear as an infected cell.

Plasmodium Falciparum is similiar to Plasmodium malariae as it does not produce hypnozoites in the liver and often relapses from the liver are not known to occur.

Plasmodium Falciparum, le parasite provoquant le paludisme chez l'Homme. Crédit Université J. Hopkins.

taken from:https://www.futura-sciences.com/uploads/tx_oxcsfutura/img/plasmodium-200307.jpg

 

Life Cycle:

taken from: https://www.cdfound.to.it/HTML/pf1c.htm

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clinical Syndromes:

The incubation period of Plasmodium Falciparum is the shorest of all plasmodia as it ranges from 7-10 days and does not prolong to months or years. The early influenza-like symptoms are chills, fever, servere nausea, vomitting and diarrhea.

Malignant tertian malaria is appropriate for this infection because the symptoms of such malaria are similar to those intestinal infections such as nausea, vomitting and diarrhea, therefore, it carries the name "the malignant mimic".

Death usually happens when it is not treated.


Treatment, Prevention and Control:

Drug resistant strains such as phenanthrene methanols, halofantrine, lumafantrine, artemesinins, artemether and artsunate.

We do not take credit for any of the information found in this website. All the information is obtained from various forms of literature.

Parasite is defined as an organism that derives its nutrients from another living organism, the host. Parasitic diseases are usually referred to those caused by protozoa, helminths and arthropods which love at the expense of their host. Successful parasites are the ones who are able to maintain their own life processes without killing their host.

Several ways to distinguish parasites infection and bacteria/viruses infection:

  1. Parasites have a complex life cycle that involves the formation of resistant cyst in the organism. (it can usually survive for long periods outside the host.)
  2. Life cycle might involve an insect vector (carrier) that is important for the transmission of disease. In most cases, it is impossible to eliminate the vector effectively.
  3. Some parasites are capable of infecting both humans and animals, thus both can act as reservoirs for the infection. This is true for most protozal infections carried by insects.
  4. Many parasites has life cycle that requires enough time to allow for the various stages to mature, either in soil or in an insect or host.