Malaria

Definition

Malaria is a life-threatening disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, transmitted to humans through the bites of infected Anopheles mosquitoes. It primarily affects the circulatory and lymphatic systems.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Malaria is caused by four main species of Plasmodium: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae.
2. The lifecycle of Plasmodium involves both asexual reproduction in humans (intermediate hosts) and sexual reproduction in mosquitoes (definitive hosts).
3. Antimalarial drugs target different stages of the Plasmodium lifecycle; for instance, chloroquine interferes with parasite digestion of hemoglobin.
4. Virulence factors of Plasmodium include cytoadherence and antigenic variation which help evade the host immune system.
5. Epidemiologically, malaria transmission is influenced by factors such as mosquito vector density, climate conditions, and human immunity.

Review Questions

• What are the main species of Plasmodium that cause malaria?
• How do antimalarial drugs like chloroquine work against the parasite?
• What are some virulence factors that enable Plasmodium to evade the human immune system?

Related terms

Plasmodium:

A genus of parasitic protozoa responsible for malaria.

Anopheles Mosquito: The primary vector responsible for transmitting malaria.

Cytoadherence: A process by which infected red blood cells adhere to capillary walls and other cells.