WANTED
Plasmodium Falciparum (Malaria)
By Alex Gold
Attacks
Body systems it attacks:
- Liver
- Red blood cells
Types of infections
- P. falciparum
- P. vivax
- P. ovale
- P. malariae
Transmitted:
- Malaria is transmitted through a certain species of mosquito (Anopheles) that previously bit a person infected with Malaria.
Victims
Organisms that can be affected by Malaria include:
- Humans
- Birds
- Bats
- Lizards
- antelopes
- (several species of Hawaiian birds went extinct because of the disease)
Type of people exposed to it:
- Most cases of Malaria are in the rural areas of Africa and southern Asia and people of all ages are at risk of it
Crimes
Symptoms:
- shaking chills that are moderate to severe
- high fever
- profuse sweating
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
- diarrhea
- anemia
- muscle pain
- convulsions
- coma
- bloody stools
How Malaria Affects the body:
- The virus enters the body through the bloodstream from the infected bite. It then goes to the liver and changes form. After it changes, it goes back into the bloodstream and infects the red blood cells.
Hide Out
Where in the body:
- right after person is bitten, it is in the bloodstream
- For the first 1-4 weeks, it is in the liver
- After it is released from the liver, it goes back into the bloodstream
Where in the world:
- Rural areas of:
- Southern Africa
- The middle east
- Southern Asia
- Oceania
Weapons
Mortality rate:
- 9.33 in 100 for African children
- 584,000 deaths worldwide last year
Defenses against Malaria:
- Insect nets can be used to keep mosquitoes away
- Using insect repellent also helps keeping them away
Prevention:
- There are medicines used for preventing malaria that kill the viruses
Treatment:
- Malaria is treatable with injectable artesunate