MALARIA

Course overview

MALARIA IS A PARASITIC INFECTION TRANSMITTED BY THE ANOPHELES MOSQUITO THAT LEADS TO ACUTE LIFE-THREATENING DISEASE AND POSES A SIGNIFICANT GLOBAL HEALTH THREAT. TWO BILLION PEOPLE RISK CONTRACTING MALARIA ANNUALLY, INCLUDING THOSE IN 90 ENDEMIC COUNTRIES AND 125 MILLION TRAVELERS. THE PLASMODIUM PARASITE HAS A MULTISTAGE LIFECYCLE, WHICH LEADS TO CHARACTERISTIC CYCLICAL FEVERS. WITH TIMELY TREATMENT, MOST PEOPLE EXPERIENCE RAPID RESOLUTION OF SYMPTOMS; HOWEVER, SIGNIFICANT COMPLICATIONS MAY OCCUR, INCLUDING CEREBRAL MALARIA, SEVERE MALARIAL ANEMIA, COMA, OR DEATH. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EPIDEMIOLOGY, PRESENTATION, AND COMPLICATIONS OF PLASMODIUM MALARIA AND THE ROLE OF THE HEALTHCARE TEAM IN EVALUATING AND MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS LIFE-THREATENING INFECTION.