This presentation gives a brief information on malaria, epidemiology, its causative agent, life cycle, diagnosis, prevention, treatment and vaccines available.

1. MALARIA
DISEASE
Subject - Microbiology

2. introduction
01

3. MALARIA
An infection caused by a few Plasmodium species
Plasmodium is a
single called
parasites that
gets spread
through
mosquitoes
LIVER
Once the
plasmodium
enters into the
bloodstream, it
infects and
destroys mainly

4. Malaria is a serious global health problem which affects
millions
It mostly affects
● Young children under 5 years old
● Pregnant women
● Patients with other conditions like HIV or AIDS
● Travelers with no prior exposure
The topical and sub tropical regions of the world are hit
hardest by the malarial infection. It includes Latin America,
Sub - Saharan Africa, Southeast. Asia and South Asia.
Epidemiology

5. There are 100’s of species of Plasmodium, but the
ones which cause infection in the human body are
● Plasmodium falciparum
● Plasmodium vivax
● Plasmodium Malariea
● Plasmodium ovale
● Plasmodium knowlesi
Causative Agent

6. LIFE CYCLE

7. P. Falciparum, P. Malariae, and P. Knowlesi enter the liver. They
start multiplying asexually and mature from SPOROZITE to
MEROZOITES, while host cells die over the next 1-2 weeks of
infection.
Over months to years, P. vivax and P. ovale enter into dormant
hepatic phase where they are called HYPNOZOITES.
These don’t divide instead they enter into snooze for a period of
time. ( Long delay before symptoms).
Merozoites EXOERYTHROCYTIC
PHASE

8. The merozoites travel from liver to blood. There they start invades
RBCs by binding to the surface receptors.
P. ovale and P. falciparum invade RBCs of all ages, P. vivax invades
young and immature RBCs while the P. Malariae and P. Knowlesi
invades older RBCs.
Once it invades, the merozoites undergoes asexual reproduction
and transformational changes, which lasts for 2 - 3 days.
ERYTHROCYTIC PHASE

9. STAGE 1
It is the stage
where a ring like
structure forms
inside the RBC.
It is also called as
EARLY
TROPHOZOITE
STAGE
STAGE 3
In this stage, the
parasite grows by
digesting haemoglobin
and leaving behind
hemozoin (Schizont). It
is the replicative phase
where it replicates by
mitosis.
STAGE 2
In this stage the
ring size increases
and thus it is also
caled as LATE
TROPHOZOITE
PHASE
03
01 02

10. Stage 1 - Early
trophozoite
phase
Stage 2 - Late
trophozoite
phase
Stage 3 - Replicative
phase

11. Some of the merozoites undergo GAMETOGONY (the development of merozoites
into male and female gametes, which later fuse to form zygote) and form
GAMETOCYTES.
These gametocytes remain inside the RBC and can get sucked up by a female
anopheles mosquito.
Inside the gut of the mosquito, merozoites mature and fuse into zygote.
They undergo SPOROGONY i.e., sexual reproduction.
The zygote then develops into OOKINETE and then into OOCYST.

12. The developed OOCYST then
ruptures in the gut of the
mosquito and releases
SPOROZOITES.
These SPOROZOITES then
make their way upto the
salivary glands of the
mosquito and the above
explained cycle continues.

14. Following the infective bite by the anopheles
mosquito, a period of time (the “incubation period”)
goes by before the first symptoms appear.
The incubation period in most cases varies from 7 to
30 days.
The shorter periods are observed most frequently
with P. falciparum and the longer ones with P.
malariae.
INCUBATION PERIOD

15. Because the parasites that cause malaria affect red
blood cells, people can also catch malaria from
exposure to infected blood, including:
● From mother to unborn child
● Through blood transfusions
● By sharing needles used to inject drugs
Modes of transmission

16. SYMPTOMS OF THE
DISEASE
- Fever
- Headache
- Chills
- Extreme tiredness and fatigue
- Impaired consciousness
- Multiple convulsions
- Difficulty in breathing
- Dark or bloody urine
- Jaundice
- Abnormal bleeding

17. COMPLICATIONS
Malaria deaths are usually related to one or more serious complications,
including:
Cerebral malaria. If parasite-filled blood cells block small blood vessels to
your brain (cerebral malaria), swelling of your brain or brain damage may occur.
Cerebral malaria may cause seizures and coma.
Breathing problems. Accumulated fluid in your lungs (pulmonary edema) can
make it difficult to breathe.

18. ● Organ failure. Malaria can damage the kidneys
or liver or cause the spleen to rupture. Any of
these conditions can be life-threatening.
● Anemia. Malaria may result in not having enough
red blood cells for an adequate supply of oxygen
to your body's tissues (anemia).
● Low blood sugar. Severe forms of malaria can
cause low blood sugar (hypoglycemia),

19. DIAGNOSIS
02

20. DIAGNOSIS
Malaria should be considered a potential medical emergency and should be treated
accordingly. Delay in diagnosis and treatment is a leading cause of death in malaria
patients.
Malaria can be suspected based on the patient’s travel history, symptoms, and the
physical findings at examination. However, for a definitive diagnosis to be made,
laboratory tests must demonstrate the malaria parasites or their components.
Clinical diagnosis is based on the patient’s symptoms and on physical findings at
examination.
the health-care provider should conduct an initial workup and request a complete
blood count and a routine chemistry panel. In the event that the person does have a
positive malaria test, these additional tests will be useful in determining whether the
patient has uncomplicated or severe manifestations of the malaria infection.
Specifically, these tests can detect severe anemia, hypoglycemia, renal failure,
hyperbilirubinemia, and acid-base disturbances.

21. Microscopic Diagnosis
Malaria parasites can be identified by examining under the microscope a
drop of the patient’s blood, spread out as a “blood smear” on a microscope
slide. Prior to examination, the specimen is stained (most often with the
Giemsa stain) to give the parasites a distinctive appearance. This technique
remains the gold standard for laboratory confirmation of malaria. However,
it depends on the quality of the reagents, of the microscope, and on the
experience of the laboratorian.
QBC test – quantitative buffy coat
Antigen detection test
Molecular diagnosis - PCR
Serology - ELISA

22. PREVENTION
Cover your skin.
Wear pants and
long-sleeved shirts.
Tuck in your shirt,
and tuck pant legs
into socks.
Sleep under a net.
Bed nets, particularly those treated with insecticides, such as
permethrin, help prevent mosquito bites while you are sleeping.
Apply insect
repellent to
skin
Use an insect
repellent
registered with
the Environmental
Protection
Agency on any
exposed skin

23. Malaria is treated with prescription drugs to kill the
parasite. The types of drugs and the length of treatment
will vary, depending on:
● Which type of malaria parasite you have
● The severity of your symptoms
● Your age
● Whether you're pregnant
TREATMENT

24. Medications
The most common antimalarial drugs include:
● Chloroquine phosphate. Chloroquine is the preferred treatment
for any parasite that is sensitive to the drug. But in many parts of
the world, parasites are resistant to chloroquine, and the drug is
no longer an effective treatment.
● Artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACTs). ACT is a
combination of two or more drugs that work against the malaria
parasite in different ways. This is usually the preferred
treatment for chloroquine-resistant malaria. Examples include
artemether-lumefantrine (Coartem) and artesunate-mefloquine.

25. Other common antimalarial drugs include:
● Atovaquone-proguanil (Malarone)
● Quinine sulfate (Qualaquin) with doxycycline
(Oracea, Vibramycin, others)
● Primaquine phosphate

26. The RTS.,S malaria or mosquirix vaccine was made
available in africa as malaria was a dangerous endemic
disease.
It is a recombinant protein-based malaria vaccine and is
the only malaria vaccine approved and in wide use.
The vaccine's use requires at least three doses in infants
by age 2, with a fourth dose extending the protection for
another 1-2 years.The vaccine reduces hospital
admissions from severe malaria by around 30%.
VACCINE

27. CDC - Malaria - About Malaria - Disease
Malaria | Osmosis Study Video - YouTube
RTS,S - Wikipedia
Explained: Malaria and the vaccine hunt | Explained
News,The Indian Express
CDC - Malaria - Features - Malaria vaccine
recommended for broader use by WHO: “Best thing
since bed nets”
REFERENCES

28. THANK YOU