Vivax malaria

Vivax Malaria is a form of malaria caused by the Plasmodium vivax parasite. It is one of the five species of malaria parasites that commonly infect humans. Although it is less severe than malaria caused by P. falciparum, P. vivax malaria can lead to significant morbidity and is a public health concern.

Epidemiology

Plasmodium vivax is the most geographically widespread of the human malaria parasites and is estimated to cause 80-300 million infections worldwide each year. It is prevalent in many tropical and subtropical regions, including parts of South America, Asia, and the Horn of Africa. However, it is rare in Central Africa due to the high prevalence of the Duffy antigen negative phenotype in the population.

Life Cycle

The life cycle of Plasmodium vivax involves both a human host and an Anopheles mosquito. The parasite's life cycle in the human host involves two stages: the liver stage and the blood stage. The liver stage begins when a person is bitten by an infected mosquito, and the parasites are injected into the bloodstream. The parasites then travel to the liver, where they invade the liver cells and multiply. After a period of 8-10 days, the parasites burst out of the liver cells and enter the bloodstream, marking the beginning of the blood stage.

Clinical Features

The symptoms of vivax malaria are similar to those of other forms of malaria and include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and fatigue. In some cases, the disease can cause severe complications such as anemia, respiratory distress, and organ failure.

Diagnosis and Treatment

Diagnosis of vivax malaria is typically made by microscopic examination of blood smears or by rapid diagnostic tests. The first-line treatment for vivax malaria is chloroquine, but resistance to this drug has been reported in some areas. In such cases, artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) is used.

Prevention

Prevention strategies for vivax malaria include the use of insecticide-treated nets, indoor residual spraying, and antimalarial drugs.

See Also

• Malaria
• Plasmodium falciparum
• Anopheles
• Chloroquine
• Artemisinin-based combination therapy