Malaria: The Daily PANCE Blueprint

The answer is E. Plasmodium falciparum

Malaria is defined by infection with Plasmodium species protozoa transmitted to humans via the Anopheles mosquitoes. It sadly causes about 1-3 million deaths per year (most commonly in tropical areas). The predominant species is Plasmdoium falciparum. The Plasmodia are transmitted from the saliva of the mosquito during a blood meal; the Plasmodia will then enter erythrocytes, “eat” proteins and alter the RBC membrane. This will lead to hemolysis and anemia. The lysis of RBCs leads to cytokine release, which is why patients have a fever, fatigue, and other systemic symptoms. Diagnosis is made thick and thin blood smears to evaluate for the presence of the plasmodia. First-line treatment for uncomplicated chloroquine-resistance P. falciparum infection is artemisinin-based combination therapy (e.g., artemether-lumefantrine).