Malaria is a disease transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which inject the Plasmodium parasite into the bloodstream during a bite. The parasite first targets liver cells, where it reproduces asexually before moving on to infect red blood cells.
Enters another mosquito when she bites a human with malaria
When another mosquito sucks the blood of an infected human, she ingests both male and female gametocytes, which sexually reproduce inside of the stomach.
Asexually reproduces in liver cells
Bursts out of liver cells and infects red blood cells
Asexually reproduce inside of red blood cells, while some parasites differentiate genders
The parasite uses the red blood cells to replicate itself, while some of the parasites develop into gametocytes, which can be either male or female.
Once they are done developing into merozoites inside the liver, they burst out of the liver cells and use the cell membrane to avoid detection from the immune system. Once they enter the bloodstream, they start infecting red blood cells.
Using the liver cells resources, the sporozoites asexually reproduce and create thousands of copies of itself.
Plasmodium sporozoites take shelter in liver cells, to avoid being recognized by the immune system.
Infects liver cells
Infected mosquito bites a human
When an infected mosquito drinks human blood for a blood meal, Plasmodium parasites in the saliva of a mosquito enter the human bloodstream.
Life Cycle of Plasmodium
Integumentary System
Skin
Respiratory System
Lungs
Immune System
Nervous System
Brain
Damage to the brain affects multiple systems at once
Malaria
Treatment
Vaccine
Currently, there is no good vaccine that can provide full protection but, there is a vaccine that offers partial protection against some types of plasmodium.
Drugs
Patients are given drugs such as quinine, to kill the parasite. However, this doesn't always work because the parasite has grown resistant to it over time.
Diagnosis
Blood sample
The blood of a patient can be examined under a microscope to determine if they have malaria or not. The parasite has a distinct shape which can be seen under a microscope.
Symptoms
Yellow Skin/eyes
Fatigue
Shortness of breath
Nausea
Muscle Pain
Headache
Vomiting
Fever
Causes
Mosquito bite
Malaria is transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitos. It enters the bloodstream when the mosquito sucks the blood of a human.