Sunday, October 12, 2014

Malaria

WELCOME

Hello, my name is Analys Velazquez and I am currently taking a microbiology class at Alverno College. I am creating this blog to inform people every where about an awful disease called malaria. Microbiology is the study of tiny creatures that cannot be seen without a microscope and some examples of those tiny creatures are: bacteria, fungi, protozoa, viruses, archaea, and algae (Case, Funke, & Tortora, 2013, p. 2). These tiny creatures we discovered are the causes of many diseases humans experience. I will explain in detail its history, what malaria is, its lifecycle, signs/symptoms, and its impact of society. 

History of Malaria

Malaria has been for centuries affecting the human population but it wasn't until 1880 that Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran, a surgeon, noticed parasites in a patients blood that had malaria (Malaria, 2014). Then in 1886 a neurophysiologist named Camillo Golgi noticed some patients having fevers every other day and other patients getting fevers every third day (Malaria, 2014). Through his specific observations he believed there were different types of malarial diseases (Malaria, 2014). Not soon after in 1897 Ronald Ross, a British officer in an Indian medical team, was able to determine how malaria was transferred to so many people (Malaria, 2014). He demonstrated that mosquitos would acquire the disease from ill patients with malaria, then carry it around until they fed on another person injecting them with the disease (Malaria, 2014). He found this was also the case with birds (Malaria, 2014). Fortunately, soon after this discovery insecticides were created and was helpful to control the mosquitos responsible for malarial transmission (Malaria, 2014). Today, the United States were able to control malaria and eradicate it  but it is still an ongoing problems for countries outside the U.S. 

(Kaiser Family Foundation, 2013)

What is Malaria

Malaria is a serious disease caused by microbes in the protozoan category. Certain types of mosquitos called Anopheles carry the protozoan parasite that they transfer to humans when they feed. A carrier is a person or organism that harbor the pathogen and for malaria it is the Anopheles mosquito and humans/animals (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 411) . The anopheles mosquito has to be female and pregnant in order to feed on humans for blood. The mosquitos aren't harmed in any way by the parasite they carry. The reservoir, which is living or nonliving that provides the pathogen with good condition to survive and replicate, is believed to have begun by monkeys (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 413). Vectors are arthropods that carry the pathogens from person to person which is the Anopheles mosquitos (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 413). The causative agent for this disease is called Plasmodium and there are four major forms of it that affect humans (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 670). Plasmodium vivax which is known for remaining dormant in the liver for months or years that gives the winter time gap where mosquitos are gone hosts with the disease when the temperature is favorable again (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 670). P. ovale and P. malariae are also considered dormant forms of malaria, makes victims feel as if they have no energy, but have lower incidents because they are in less geographic places (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 670). Lastly, the worst type of malaria is P. falciparum because it acts more rapidly, infects and destroys more red blood cells compared to the other types, and is spread worldwide (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 670). 

The Anopheles Mosquito (CDC, 2012).

Lifecycle

1. Starts by the mosquito biting the human, the sporozoites, which is the infective stage of Plasmodium the mosquito carries, are injected and travels through bloodstream to the liver (Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 352).
2. The sporozoites reproduce through schizogony in the liver (Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 352) Schizogony: asexual reproduction where the "the nucleus undergoes multiple divisions before the cell divides"(Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 348). They produce merozoites.
3. Merozoites are then released into the bloodstream and infects the red blood cells (Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 352).
4. Merozoties then form into ring stage inside the red blood cells (Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 352).
5. Ring stage produced even more merozoites (Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 352).
6. The red blood cells then become overwhelmed with the amount of merozoites in it and rupture (Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 352). Some merozoites infect other red blood cells while others begin to form male and female gametocytes (Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 352).
7. Then a mosquito that is not yet carrying the pathogen bites this infected human and ingests the gametocytes (Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 352).
8. In this mosquitos digestive system the male and female gametocytes unite forming a zygote through sexual reproduction (Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 352).
9. This zygote then produces the sporozoites. These sporozoites travel to the mosquitos salivary gland. This then continues the cycle by this mosquito feeding on a human transferring the sporozoites into the human (Case, Funke, Tortora, 2013, p. 352).

(Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 352)


(YouTube, 2012)

Life Cycle of the Malaria Parasite: 

Signs/Symptoms

Common symptoms:
  • Fever
  • Chills
  • Sweats
  • Head aches
  • Body aches
  • Nausea/vomiting
  • Elevated temperature
  • Weakness
  • Increased respiratory rate
Severe malarial symptoms:
  • Severe anemia because destruction of red blood cells
  • Cerebral malaria: abnormal behavior, conscious impairment, seizures, or coma
  • Acute respiratory distress syndrome, inflammatory reaction that stops oxygen exchange in liver
  • Low blood pressure 
  • Kidney Failure
  • Hyperparasitemia, cause by large amount of red blood cells infected by malaria 
  • Hypoglycemia 
(CDC, 2010). 

Diagnosis

The diagnostic test used for malaria is commonly a blood smear that requires skilled interpretation under the microscope (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 671). There is another option although more expensive it is more rapidly detected compared to the blood smear. Its an antigen-detecting diagnostic test and is an ideal option for staff not trained to interpret the blood smear under a microscope (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 671). Unfortunately, the symptoms of malaria most of the time mirror the same symptoms of a cold or flu so diagnosing through symptoms isn't reliable (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 671). 

Severe Plasmodium vivax malaria: 

Blood smear test. The pink circles are red blood cells and the purple things inside the cells are merotozites. This is the view under the microscope (Das, Garg, Gupta, Kochar, Kochar, Kochar, Khatri, Saxena, & Sirohi, 2009). 

Treatment

When treating a person with malaria it depends on:
  • Type of parasite
  • Where the infection is acquired and what drug resistant status that area has
  • Status of patient, any illnesses or conditions
  • Other medications used by patient 
(Malaria, 2011)

There is currently no vaccine available for malaria due to its complicated lifecycle. Malaria goes through many different phases and has more than 7,000 pathogens that are able to mutate (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 671). There are too many pathogens for a vaccine to deal with to create a fully functional vaccine (Case, Funke & Tortora, 2013, p. 671).


(Voice of America, 2014)

Treatments used against the parasite merozoties include: chloroquine, atovaquone-proguanil, artetner-lumefotrine, mefloquine, quinine, and quinidine (CDC, 2012). Unfortunately, these antimalarial drugs have caused the disease to build a resistance in certain areas of the world. Recently, a drug for malaria called artemisinin was used in combination with other types of antimalarials to prevent resistance (Packard, 2014). As expected, this drug did cause the parasites to mutate and become resistant to this drug (Packard, 2014). In efforts to ending this disease organizations such as the Peace Corps, Stomping Out Malaria, and Malaria No More take many volunteers to developing countries to prevent malaria, help people who are afflicted or at risk of the disease, teaching them about sleeping under insecticide nets, and teaching mothers about healthy birth (Peace Corps, 2014). 
Impact on Society
  • "Over half a million (627,000) people die from malaria each year, mostly children younger than five years old" (NetsForLife, 2011). 
  • "Although the vast majority of malaria cases occur in sub-Saharan Africa, the disease is a public health problem in more than 109 countries, 45 of which are in Africa" (NetsForLife, 2011). 
  • "It is estimated that a child dies every minute of malaria" (NetsForLife, 2011). 
Malaria can affect everybody and anybody and all it takes is a bite from a mosquito. It impacts society because they need to be aware of these mosquitos when they travel to countries outside the U.S. and take safety precautions by asking their doctors how to prepare for travel. Social media is used to spread awareness of this disease, its location, preventative measures, and funds for a vaccine. Society shows its value for health and wellness through all the support given to find a vaccine, giving nets to other countries to prevent to spread of malaria, using social media to spread the word, and donating money for the cause. Not only does it show the value of health but also helping because the people of the U.S. travel overseas to help others who are less fortunate. 


News 




Edward is co-starring in the iPhone game @BestFiends, but his side job is to fight #malaria! http://t.co/FU5uXTNVnq pic.twitter.com/SihVf0Uy24
(Twitter, 2014)

How to fight resistance to #malaria drugs in Asia http://t.co/LTTpp7oP3y via @MalariaNoMore pic.twitter.com/XFlghUmIbb
(Twitter, 2014)
(Twitter, 2014)

References:

Case, C., Funke, B., & Tortora, G. (2013). Microbiology: an introduction(11th ed). Glenview, IL: Pearson Education. 

CDC. (2012). Anopheles freeboni mosquito pumping blood. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/biology/mosquitoes/

CDC. (2012). Malaria Treatment (United States). Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/diagnosis_treatment/treatment.html

CDC. (2010). Malaria Disease. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/malaria/about/disease.html

Das, A., Garg, S., Gupta, V., Kochar, A., Kochar, D. K., Kochar, S. K., Khatri, M. P., Saxena, V., & Sirohi, P. (2009). Severe Plasmodium vivax malaria: A report on serial cases from Bikaner in Northwestern India. The American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 80(2), 194-198.

Malaria. (2011). Malaria Treatment. Retrieved from 
http://www.malaria.com/overview/malaria-treatment-methods

Malaria. (2014). Malaria.com: Uniting against malaria. Retrieved from  http://www.malaria.com/category/overview

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases. (2012). Malaria: Life cycle of the malaria parasite. Retrieved from http://www.niaid.nih.gov/topics/malaria/pages/lifecycle.aspx

Nets For Life: A partnership for malaria prevention in Africa. (2012). Malaria statistics. Retrieved from http://www.netsforlifeafrica.org/malaria/malaria-statistics

Peace Corps. (2014). Peace Corps is stomping out malaria in Africa. Retrieved from http://www.peacecorps.gov/today/influence/malariaday/

The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. (2014). The global malaria epidemic. Retrieved from http://kff.org/global-health-policy/fact-sheet/the-global-malaria-epidemic/

Twitter. (2014). Malaria No More. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/MalariaNoMore

Twitter. (2014). Stop Out Malaria. Retrieved from https://twitter.com/StompOutMalaria

Voice of America. (2014). Drug-resistant malaria spreads in Southeast Asia. Retrieved from http://learningenglish.voanews.com/content/drug-resistant-malaria-spread-in-south-east-asia/2425189.html

YouTube. (2012). Malaria Lifecycle Animation. Retrieved from 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A2-XTlHBf_4 



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