QUESTION: What is MT and BT malaria? ANSWER: "MT" stands for "malignant tertian" and "BT" stands for "benign tertian" malaria. Tertian malaria describes fever which occurs every other day, in cycles. Of the main types of human malaria, Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale are the most stereotypically tertian. P. falciparum can be tertian, but it is more erratic and due to its severity, … [Read more...]
Incubation Period for Malaria
QUESTION: What is the incubation period of malaria? ANSWER: That depends on the species of malaria. Plasmodium falciparum has the shortest incubation time, typically 10 to 14 days. For P. vivax, incubation is usually between 10 to 17 days, but can be much longer (up to a year; the longest incubation time recorded for this species was 30 years!). P. ovale has an incubation period similar … [Read more...]
G6PD and Malaria
QUESTION: Does one need to have a normal result in G6PD screening before he can take Malarial pills? ANSWER: In some cases, yes. When a patient has been diagnosed with Plasmodium ovale or Plasmodium vivax infection, in addition to medication such as chloroquine to target the blood stages of the parasite, an additional drug, called primaquine, may also be required. Primaquine kills the … [Read more...]
Will malaria come back?
QUESTION: As a result of a blood test I have just been informed that at some time I have had malaria. Though I have no idea when this was. I once was ill for 4 days with what I thought was flu and that is the only occasion I can remember. Therefore I have never been treated for malaria. Could you please tell me if there is any chance the disease will come back. ANSWER: That will … [Read more...]
Malaria After Blood Transfusion
QUESTION: How many days does it take to become symptomatic after a blood transfusion of malaria infected blood to patient? ANSWER: This depends on the strain and burden of malaria parasites in the blood being transfused. Onset of malaria symptoms can be very rapid if infected red blood cells begin to rupture immediately, say within 24-48 hours, or conversely symptoms can be very … [Read more...]
What is malaria?
QUESTION: What is malaria? ANSWER: Malaria is a disease caused by a parasitic single-celled animal known as Plasmodium. There are different species of Plasmodium, which cause different kinds of malaria. The main types which infect humans are P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae. The parasite is transmitted by certain species of mosquito; the parasite lives in the human blood … [Read more...]
What pathogenic organisms cause malaria?
QUESTION: What pathogenic organism causes the disease? ANSWER: Malaria is caused by single-celled organisms, called protozoans, of the genus Plasmodium. Different forms of malaria are caused by different species of Plasmodium. The most severe and deadly form is caused by P. falciparum, which is responsible for 90% of the global deaths from malaria, the majority of these in Africa, and … [Read more...]
How quickly should patient take medicine for malaria?
QUESTION: My sister has been suffering from malaria for three months. She consulted with doctor in the first symptom of malaria but doctor gave only fever medicine at that time. Blood test was not done at that time. So my question is: "within how many days or months malaria patient has to immediately take medicine?" ANSWER: One of our collaborating medical doctors has assisting in … [Read more...]
Plasmodium Vivax Shows Malaria Infection?
QUESTION: If there is Plasmodium Vivax present, then is the patient infected with malaria or not? ANSWER: Yes! Plasmodium vivax is one of the several different species of malaria that can infect humans and cause disease. The other main species found in humans are Plasmodium falciparum, P. ovale and P. malariae. … [Read more...]
Malaria Fever
QUESTION: How many days will the fever last? ANSWER: There is no set amount of time for the duration of a malaria fever, and in fact it will depends on several factors, namely the type of malaria the patient has, their level of acquired immunity, whether they were taking preventative medicine for malaria (prophylaxis) at the time of infection and how quickly they receive appropriate … [Read more...]