Malaria

Question 1

What is the major vector for malaria?

Answer 1

Anopheles mosquito; mainly A. sinensis

Question 2

How long can P. vivax stay dormant in the liver for?

Answer 2

P. vivax can stay dormant in the liver as hypnozoites and cause relapse of malaria months-years later

Question 3

Which spp. of malaria is zoonotic & can be acquired locally?

Answer 3

P. knowlesi

Question 4

What are the clinical presentations of malaria?

Answer 4

1. Fever
2. Chills
3. Nausea & vomiting
4. Anemia
5. Jaundice

Question 5

Which are the 2 malaria spp. we are most concerned with?

Answer 5

P. falciparum & P. vivax

Question 6

How to identify P. falciparum in thin blood film?

Answer 6

1. Multiple infections in single RBC
2. Infected RBC is same size as uninfected cell
3. Crescentic (sausage-shaped)
4. Accole (pushed to the side)

Question 7

How to identify P. vivax in thin blood film?

Answer 7

1. Enlarged RBC
2. Schuffner’s dots

Question 8

How to identify P. knowlesi & P. malariae in thin blood film?

Answer 8

Band-like structure in RBC

Question 9

How to identify P. ovale in thin blood film?

Answer 9

1. Schuffner’s dots
2. Oval

Question 10

Which anti-malaria drug should be given for P. vivax and P. ovale?

Answer 10

Primaquine & chloroquine in combination

Primaquine is the only drug that kills dormant malaria

Question 11

What group of individuals is primaquine contraindicated in?

Answer 11

G6PD deficiency or pregnant women

Question 12

What type of cell does P. vivax infect?

Answer 12

Reticulocytes

Question 13

What is the treatment for severe malaria?

Answer 13

1. IV Artesunate or PO quinine
2. use with tetracycline/doxycyclin/clindamycin

Question 14

How long is the incubation period for malaria?

Answer 14

7-10 days

Question 15

What is the treatment for uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria?

Answer 15

1. Artesunate-Mefloquine
2. Artemether-Lumefantrine
3. Dihydroartemisin-Piperaquine