The different types of malaria

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MALARIA
Malaria
NAME
CHAMBERLAIN UNIVERSITY
DATE

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MALARIA
Abstract
Plasmodium sp. is the causal organism of malaria, which is a protozoan, with four
different species causing the different types of malaria. It is present in many forms
throughout its life cycle and is a digenetic parasite. The symptoms of malaria caused by
this pathogen include chills, fever, nausea, dizziness and vomiting.
Article Summary
This article discusses the causal organism of malaria, Plasmodium sp. It is an
intracellular eukaryotic parasite, completing its life cycle in mosquitoes and humans.
The symptoms of malaria differ with the species infecting the human and can be
diagnosed with the combination of clinical symptoms and laboratory blood test. Different
types of drugs are used for the treatment of malaria.
Pathogen Information
Classification of microorganism- The pathogen causing malaria is of the
eukaryote belonging to the genus Plasmodium. It is an intracellular parasitic protozoan.
They are digenetic parasites which require two hosts, namely insects such as
mosquitoes and vertebrates.
Cellular characteristics- the morphologies of Plasmodium sp. differ in four
stages of development in humans and three developmental stages in the bodies of the
mosquitoes. For instance, the morphology of hepatic schizonts is in clusters of tiny
basophilic bodies in hepatic cells with a diameter of 1-2 μm in diameter. In contrast, the
macrogametocytes in the mosquitoes stain darker in the cytoplasm.
Susceptibility to antibiotics/ antiviral or antifungals- Antimalarial drugs are
used to destroy the pathogen Plasmodium sp. in the human body. As the pathogen is