Plamodium falciparum is one of the four species of parasites that causes malaria. P. falciparum infections are responsible for the most deaths from malaria and can have severe complications if left untreated. Symptoms of infection with this particular species show the general characteristics of malaria, but are more violent and progress rapidly.
Infection
Malaria infection is caused by human-pathogenic protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Plasmodium. Of the 170 species in this genus, four cause malaria infection in humans. The disease is primarily transmitted by mosquitoes of the Anopheles genus. When a mosquito ingests blood from an infected human, parasite gametocytes differentiate and begin to produce sporozoites in a cyst lodged in the gut wall. The cyst ruptures and the sporozoites migrate to the salivary glands in order to be transmitted to another human host. The sporozoites travel to the human liver and complete a phase of initial multiplication. In the liver, one P. falciparium cell can produce 30,000 merozoites that will move into the blood stream.
Symptom Progression
In P. falciparum cases, the onset of malaria symptoms is experienced 6 to 14 days after infection; however, preventative medication can slow symptom onset and some cases will be dormant for years. P. falciparum symptoms develop within three months of infection. The parasites feed and multiply in red blood cells, causing them to burst and release more parasites into the blood stream. When many cells become infected and cause similar bursting cycles, they produce recurrent attacks. The attacks are characterized by stages of chills, fever and sweating. Other symptoms include anemia, overall weakness, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. P. falciparum can infect red blood cells in all the developmental stages, creating high levels of parasites in the blood, and causes a recurrent fever every 36 to 48 hours.
Complications
Severe P. falciparum can cause shock, bleeding problems, kidney or liver failure and death. Possible symptoms include severe anemia, blood abnormalities, cardiovascular collapse, presence of hemoglobin in urine and a buildup of fluids within the lungs. Infected persons may also experience enlargement of the liver or spleen and a mild jaundice. This species can also cause cerebral malaria, which causes seizures, abnormal behavior and coma. Cerebral malaria can cause neurological defects after recovery, such as palsies, deafness, blindness and difficulty with movement.
Treatment
Malaria is treatable and treatment is most effective when administered early in the infection. Uncomplicated malaria can be treated orally, but severe cases require hospitalization and intravenous or intramuscular treatment. Medicines used to treat malaria include Chloroquine, Sulphadoxine-Pyrimethamine, Quinine, Mefloquine and Amodiaquine. Anti-malarial drugs can be taken preventatively if traveling into an area where infection is possible. These medicines must be taken in a course and will inhibit parasite development, prolonging the dormant period.
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