Plasmodium is a protozoan parasite which is transmitted by the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito
PLASMODIUM LIFE CYCLE
- In the human:
o Infected mosquito that has the parasite in the salivary glands: sporozoites
Do not replicate, are waiting in salivary glands to be transmitted when the female
mosquito takes a blood meal
Blood meal is needed to take up proteins to be able to lay eggs
o Female mosquito deposits parasites in the human host
o Malaria parasites have the ability to cross several types of cells without attaching to the first
one they see
When mosquito bites: parasites cross the skin until they find a blood vessel
Migration to liver (1h)
o In the liver: cross cell types until they find a hepatocyte where they fix
o They start to multiply until they form 10 000 – 30 000 merozoites (9 days)
o When hepatocytes are full of merozoites: burst
o Merozoites released in blood circulation: invasion of red blood cells = erythrocytic cycle =
occurrence of malaria symptoms
Cycles of invasion and rupture: depending on parasite species they take
shorter/longer
In P. falciparum: 48 h
Between 20-30 new parasites are formed in each RBC in each cycle: depends on
parasite species + environmental factors
When RBC ruptures: all merozoites released in blood circulation
Each merozoite can infect 1 cell exponential growth of parasite density
o Some parasites (1-3%): come out of the erythrocytic cycle and form gametocytes
Stay in circulation and wait for a mosquito to bite
Gametocytes end in stomach of the mosquito
- In mosquito:
o Fusion of gametocytes into ookinete
o Multiplication forms thousands of sporozoites
o Travel towards salivary gland: sporozoites in salivary gland
After 2 weeks: sporozoites are ready to be transmitted
Malaria life cycle is an extremely complex lifecycle
MALARIA ENDEMIC REGIONS
Located in the Malaria belt: regions located around the tropics. 93% of these are found in Africa, but also some
occur in Latin-America/Asia. These are the regions where the presence of the mosquito is more consistent and
where there is a more efficient transmission.
1
, HIGH RISK GROUPS
- Children < 5 years with no previous exposure to malaria
- Pregnant women + foetus
- Immune-supressed patients: especially HIV
- Travellers without previous exposure
HUMAN MALARIA PARASITES
- Plasmodium falciparum:
o Majority of deaths are caused by P. falciparum
o most prevalent species in Africa
o most studies / tools that are developed are targeting P. falciparum
- Plasmodium vivax:
o Most prevalent species in Latin-America and Asia
o In past few weeks, increased recognition that P. vivax can cause severe disease and death
o still major problem to eliminate P. vivax (+ P. ovale) is the formation of liver hypnozoites
(dormant)
GLOBAL MALARIA BURDEN THROUGH HISTORY
- we have already gone to 2 major global eradication programs
o first campaign to eliminate malaria: started after WWII
successful campaign:
eradicated malaria from North-America and Europe
reduced significantly the number of cases and death in Asia
BUT not successful in Africa
used 2 tools: insecticide DDT + chloroquine
o around ‘70s together with increase of chloroquine resistance: huge increase in death in Africa
until the end of the 20th century
o at beginning 20th century: new global eradication campaign
involved different initiatives: starting from different governments and foundations
successful: in 15 years, 50% decrease in number of deaths by malaria
major tools: still used
vector control: indoor residual spraying + ITN’s
artemisinin derivative drugs
- since 2015: after an unprecedented period of success in global malaria control, progress has stalled
around the world
o in Africa: number of cases and deaths increase
o means that we may not be able to eradicate malaria with the tools that we have/are using
now
need to develop better tools + monitor major challenges to elimination (e.g. development
of drug resistance)
2
Les avantages d'acheter des résumés chez Stuvia:
Qualité garantie par les avis des clients
Les clients de Stuvia ont évalués plus de 700 000 résumés. C'est comme ça que vous savez que vous achetez les meilleurs documents.
L’achat facile et rapide
Vous pouvez payer rapidement avec iDeal, carte de crédit ou Stuvia-crédit pour les résumés. Il n'y a pas d'adhésion nécessaire.
Focus sur l’essentiel
Vos camarades écrivent eux-mêmes les notes d’étude, c’est pourquoi les documents sont toujours fiables et à jour. Cela garantit que vous arrivez rapidement au coeur du matériel.
Foire aux questions
Qu'est-ce que j'obtiens en achetant ce document ?
Vous obtenez un PDF, disponible immédiatement après votre achat. Le document acheté est accessible à tout moment, n'importe où et indéfiniment via votre profil.
Garantie de remboursement : comment ça marche ?
Notre garantie de satisfaction garantit que vous trouverez toujours un document d'étude qui vous convient. Vous remplissez un formulaire et notre équipe du service client s'occupe du reste.
Auprès de qui est-ce que j'achète ce résumé ?
Stuvia est une place de marché. Alors, vous n'achetez donc pas ce document chez nous, mais auprès du vendeur BMWUAstudent. Stuvia facilite les paiements au vendeur.
Est-ce que j'aurai un abonnement?
Non, vous n'achetez ce résumé que pour €4,49. Vous n'êtes lié à rien après votre achat.