Plasmodium vivax is the most common species responsible for human malaria cases in South America.
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Plasmodium vivax is indeed the most common species responsible for human malaria cases in South America. However, let’s dive deeper into this topic to provide a more interesting and detailed answer.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), Plasmodium vivax is responsible for the majority of malaria cases in South America. This species of Plasmodium is known for causing the milder form of malaria compared to Plasmodium falciparum, which causes the more severe and potentially fatal form of the disease.
Interesting facts about Plasmodium vivax and its impact on South America:
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Geographical distribution: Plasmodium vivax is found in many countries of South America, including Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela, and Ecuador. These countries account for the highest number of malaria cases in the region.
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Multiple relapses: One unique feature of Plasmodium vivax is its ability to cause multiple relapses. While most malaria parasites have a single relapse cycle, Plasmodium vivax can remain dormant in the liver for months or even years, leading to recurrent infections.
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Anemia and other complications: Although Plasmodium vivax is generally considered less severe than Plasmodium falciparum, it can still cause significant health complications. Chronic infections with Plasmodium vivax can lead to anemia, particularly in children and pregnant women.
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Challenges in elimination efforts: Plasmodium vivax poses unique challenges in malaria elimination efforts. Its ability to remain dormant and cause relapses makes it harder to detect and treat effectively. Additionally, the parasite can be transmitted by mosquito species that are not effectively targeted by certain control measures like bed nets.
As we delve into the world of malaria, journalist Sonia Shah rightly points out the importance of understanding the complexities of this disease: “Malaria is not simply a disease of bad design from evolution’s point of view. Understanding the species differences and their ecology can give us leverage to better understand and control this ancient human foe.”
To provide a visual representation of the malaria situation in South America, here is a table showing the number of reported malaria cases in selected countries in 2019:
| Country | Number of Malaria Cases in 2019 |
|---|---|
| Brazil | 157,454 |
| Colombia | 66,866 |
| Peru | 58,519 |
| Venezuela | 44,159 |
| Ecuador | 22,789 |
Please note that the table is based on reported data from a specific year, and the actual numbers may have varied over time.
In conclusion, Plasmodium vivax is the predominant species causing human malaria in South America. Its geographical distribution, ability to cause relapses, and impact on anemia highlight the importance of understanding and effectively combating this form of malaria in the region.
Video related “Which species of Plasmodium is the most common one that causes human malaria in South America?”
The life cycle of Plasmodium, the protozoa that causes malaria, is explained in this video. The female Anopheles mosquito acts as a host to the parasite, transferring the sporozoites through its saliva and into the human body during a bite. The sporozoites target liver cells, multiply and release merozoites into the bloodstream, which in turn attack red blood cells. From there, the merozoites enter the asexual or sexual cycle, forming gametocytes. When a mosquito bites an infected human, it ingests the Plasmodium parasite, which then multiplies and moves into the mosquito’s salivary glands, ready to infect another human during a subsequent bite.
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Hereof, What is the most common malaria in South America? P. vivax
Most malaria cases in South America result from P. vivax (69%) infections, followed by P. falciparum (27%), and most occur in the Amazon rain forest.
What species of malaria is in South America? Anopheles darlingi Root is the primary malaria vector in South America, transmitting both P. falciparum and P. vivax in Brazil [15, 16], but many other species are also involved in the dynamics of the transmission of Plasmodium [17].
Also to know is, What is the most common Plasmodium causing malaria? Response: Plasmodium falciparum is the type of malaria that most often causes severe and life-threatening malaria; this parasite is very common in many countries in Africa south of the Sahara desert.
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In respect to this, Why is malaria so common in South America?
Most malaria cases in South America come from Amazon rain forest areas in northern countries, where more than half of malaria is caused by Plasmodium vivax, while Plasmodium falciparum malaria incidence has decreased in recent years.
Which Plasmodium species cause malaria?
Plasmodium species that naturally infect humans and cause malaria in large areas of the world are limited to five-P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi. The first four are specific for humans, while P. knowlesi is naturally maintained in macaque monkeys and causes zoonotic malaria widely in South East Asia.
What is the cause of malaria?
Response will be: Malaria results from infection with single-celled parasites belonging to the Plasmodium genus. Five species of Plasmodium are known to cause disease in humans: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. knowlesi. Globally, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax account for the majority of cases of malaria.
Simply so, What is the most common type of malaria? Response: Globally, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax account for the majority of cases of malaria. While Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for more deaths, Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread of all of the malaria species, can cause severe, even fatal infections and results in significant global morbidity and mortality.
Subsequently, What is the deadliest malaria parasite in Africa?
Response to this: P. falciparum is the deadliest malaria parasite and the most prevalent on the African continent. P. vivax is the dominant malaria parasite in most countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa. The other malaria species which can infect humans are P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi.
Also question is, Which Plasmodium species cause malaria? Answer: Plasmodium species that naturally infect humans and cause malaria in large areas of the world are limited to five-P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi. The first four are specific for humans, while P. knowlesi is naturally maintained in macaque monkeys and causes zoonotic malaria widely in South East Asia.
What is the cause of malaria? In reply to that: Malaria results from infection with single-celled parasites belonging to the Plasmodium genus. Five species of Plasmodium are known to cause disease in humans: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae, and P. knowlesi. Globally, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax account for the majority of cases of malaria.
What is the most common type of malaria?
Globally, Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax account for the majority of cases of malaria. While Plasmodium falciparum is responsible for more deaths, Plasmodium vivax is the most widespread of all of the malaria species, can cause severe, even fatal infections and results in significant global morbidity and mortality.
In this manner, What is the deadliest malaria parasite in Africa? Answer will be: P. falciparum is the deadliest malaria parasite and the most prevalent on the African continent. P. vivax is the dominant malaria parasite in most countries outside of sub-Saharan Africa. The other malaria species which can infect humans are P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi.
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