Malaria
MALARIA
By
Elizabeth Nduta Mbugua
(14-0647)
Submitted to
Dr.Geoffery K.Kinuthia
Department of Science and Engineering
School of Science, Engineering and Health
Of
Daystar University
Nairobi, Kenya
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for
BIOLOGY (BIO 111)
19th March 2014 INTRODUCTION
Malaria affects 10%of the world’s population with 300-500 million new cases each year and 2 million deaths annually. It is called the worlds invisible pandemic. It is transmission of the disease by a mosquito vector that depends on temperature and rainfall and thus survives well in tropic areas. The people at significant risk for malaria include those who have little or no immunity to the parasite. Children, pregnant women and travelers are most likely to fall victim to the disease.
CAUSATIVE AGENT
The parasite that causes malaria belongs to the genus plasmodium. There are four species of plasmodia that causes malaria in man.
i. Plasmodium Vivax ii. Plasmodium falciparum iii. Plasmodium malariae iv. Plasmodium ovale
Plasmodium vivax
It is believed to account for 80%of all malaria infections, widely distributed because it can develop in mosquitoes at lower temperatures and is the cause of the most prevalent forms of malaria benign tertian with frequent relapses. The cycle of paroxysms occurs every 2 days and the patients generally survive even without treatment.
Plasmodium ovale and plasmodium Malariae
Also causes relatively benign malaria but even so the victims lack energy.These latter two malarial types are lower in incidence and rather restricted geographically.
Plasmodium Falciparum
The most dangerous malaria is that caused by Plasmodium Falciparum.It is believed that humans have been exposed to this parasite(through contact with birds)only in relevant recent history.Reffered to as “malignant”malaria , untreated it eventually kills about half of those infected. The highest mortality rates occur in young children. More red blood cells
By
Elizabeth Nduta Mbugua
(14-0647)
Submitted to
Dr.Geoffery K.Kinuthia
Department of Science and Engineering
School of Science, Engineering and Health
Of
Daystar University
Nairobi, Kenya
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirement for
BIOLOGY (BIO 111)
19th March 2014 INTRODUCTION
Malaria affects 10%of the world’s population with 300-500 million new cases each year and 2 million deaths annually. It is called the worlds invisible pandemic. It is transmission of the disease by a mosquito vector that depends on temperature and rainfall and thus survives well in tropic areas. The people at significant risk for malaria include those who have little or no immunity to the parasite. Children, pregnant women and travelers are most likely to fall victim to the disease.
CAUSATIVE AGENT
The parasite that causes malaria belongs to the genus plasmodium. There are four species of plasmodia that causes malaria in man.
i. Plasmodium Vivax ii. Plasmodium falciparum iii. Plasmodium malariae iv. Plasmodium ovale
Plasmodium vivax
It is believed to account for 80%of all malaria infections, widely distributed because it can develop in mosquitoes at lower temperatures and is the cause of the most prevalent forms of malaria benign tertian with frequent relapses. The cycle of paroxysms occurs every 2 days and the patients generally survive even without treatment.
Plasmodium ovale and plasmodium Malariae
Also causes relatively benign malaria but even so the victims lack energy.These latter two malarial types are lower in incidence and rather restricted geographically.
Plasmodium Falciparum
The most dangerous malaria is that caused by Plasmodium Falciparum.It is believed that humans have been exposed to this parasite(through contact with birds)only in relevant recent history.Reffered to as “malignant”malaria , untreated it eventually kills about half of those infected. The highest mortality rates occur in young children. More red blood cells