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Total Categories: 8
Malaria is a bacterial infection transmitted through the bites of infected male *Anopheles* mosquitoes.
Answer: False
Malaria is caused by *Plasmodium* parasites, a type of single-celled eukaryote, not bacteria. Furthermore, transmission occurs via the bites of infected female *Anopheles* mosquitoes.
*Plasmodium falciparum* is the *Plasmodium* species least likely to cause severe malaria deaths.
Answer: False
*Plasmodium falciparum* is recognized as the species most frequently responsible for severe malaria and the majority of global fatalities.
*P. knowlesi* is a species of *Plasmodium* that can be transmitted from monkeys to humans.
Answer: True
*Plasmodium knowlesi* is recognized as a zoonotic species, capable of infecting humans through transmission from its primary hosts, which are monkeys.
What type of organism causes malaria in humans?
Answer: A single-celled eukaryote of the genus *Plasmodium*.
Malaria is caused by protozoan parasites belonging to the genus *Plasmodium*, which are single-celled eukaryotes, not bacteria, viruses, or parasitic worms.
Which *Plasmodium* species is most frequently responsible for severe malaria and the majority of fatalities worldwide?
Answer: *P. falciparum*
*Plasmodium falciparum* is the species most commonly associated with severe malaria and is responsible for the overwhelming majority of malaria-related deaths worldwide due to its high virulence.
Which *Plasmodium* species is noted as being zoonotic, meaning it can be transmitted from animals (specifically monkeys) to humans?
Answer: *P. knowlesi*
*Plasmodium knowlesi* is a species of malaria parasite that can be transmitted from monkeys to humans, representing a significant zoonotic threat in certain geographical regions.
How is malaria primarily transmitted from mosquitoes to humans?
Answer: Through the bite of infected female *Anopheles* mosquitoes.
Malaria is transmitted to humans exclusively through the saliva of infected female *Anopheles* mosquitoes during a blood meal, introducing the *Plasmodium* parasites into the human bloodstream.
What is the primary nutrient source for adult mosquitoes, relevant for vector control strategies?
Answer: Plant sugars.
Adult mosquitoes primarily feed on plant sugars for energy, which fuels their flight and reproductive activities. Blood meals are exclusively for female mosquitoes for egg development.
Symptoms of malaria in children are typically distinct and easily distinguishable from other common childhood illnesses.
Answer: False
Symptoms of malaria in children are often general, such as fever, cough, vomiting, and diarrhea, which can easily be mistaken for other common childhood illnesses, making them less distinct.
Cerebral malaria is characterized by mild neurological symptoms such as occasional headaches.
Answer: False
Cerebral malaria is a severe complication characterized by significant neurological impairment, including coma, seizures, and other serious symptoms, not merely mild headaches.
Malariology is the scientific study focused on understanding the transmission and impact of malaria.
Answer: True
Malariology is indeed the specialized scientific discipline dedicated to the comprehensive study of malaria, encompassing its parasites, vectors, transmission, clinical aspects, and control.
Microscopic examination of blood films is considered less accurate than rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria diagnosis.
Answer: False
Microscopic examination of blood films is considered the 'gold standard' for malaria diagnosis due to its accuracy in identifying parasite species and quantifying parasite density, often surpassing RDTs in precision.
Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria can accurately quantify the parasite burden in the blood.
Answer: False
A significant limitation of RDTs is their inability to accurately quantify the parasite burden in the blood, which is crucial for assessing the severity of infection. Microscopy is required for such quantification.
The World Health Organization (WHO) classifies malaria solely based on the presence of fever.
Answer: False
The WHO classifies malaria into 'severe' and 'uncomplicated' categories based on specific clinical and laboratory criteria indicating organ dysfunction, not solely on the presence of fever.
Which of the following is NOT listed as a common symptom of malaria in adults?
Answer: Persistent dry cough.
Common adult malaria symptoms include fever, chills, headache, and fatigue. Jaundice and seizures are indicative of severe malaria. A persistent dry cough is not a characteristic symptom of malaria.
What is the scientific term for the study of malaria?
Answer: Malariology
The scientific study of malaria is termed malariology, encompassing all aspects of the disease, its vectors, and its impact.
What is considered the 'gold standard' for diagnosing malaria, according to the source?
Answer: Microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood films.
Microscopic examination of Giemsa-stained blood films is considered the gold standard for malaria diagnosis, enabling accurate identification of *Plasmodium* species and quantification of parasite density.
Which of the following is a limitation of rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for malaria?
Answer: They cannot quantify the parasite burden in the blood.
A key limitation of RDTs is their inability to provide a quantitative measure of the parasite load in the blood, which is essential for assessing disease severity and monitoring treatment response.
According to the WHO classification, what distinguishes 'severe' malaria from 'uncomplicated' malaria?
Answer: The presence of specific clinical or laboratory criteria indicating organ dysfunction.
The WHO classifies malaria as severe when patients exhibit specific clinical or laboratory indicators of organ dysfunction or severe systemic compromise, beyond the symptoms of uncomplicated malaria.
Which of the following is a severe complication that can arise from malaria infection?
Answer: Respiratory distress and kidney failure.
Severe malaria can lead to life-threatening complications such as respiratory distress, acute kidney injury, cerebral dysfunction, and circulatory collapse, among others.
Indoor residual spraying (IRS) involves applying insecticides to mosquito breeding sites like stagnant water.
Answer: False
Indoor residual spraying (IRS) involves applying insecticides to the interior walls of homes, targeting resting mosquitoes, rather than treating breeding sites.
Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) primarily work by repelling mosquitoes away from sleeping individuals.
Answer: False
Insecticide-treated nets (ITNs) primarily function by creating a physical barrier and killing mosquitoes that come into contact with the insecticide, rather than solely repelling them.
Mass drug administration (MDA) involves treating only individuals who test positive for malaria.
Answer: False
Mass drug administration (MDA) is a strategy where antimalarial drugs are administered to an entire population in a specific area, irrespective of individual infection status, to reduce the overall parasite reservoir.
Seasonal malaria chemoprophylaxis (SMC) is a treatment given to patients experiencing severe malaria symptoms.
Answer: False
Seasonal malaria chemoprophylaxis (SMC) is a preventive measure, providing antimalarial medication to vulnerable populations during peak transmission seasons, not a treatment for severe symptoms.
What is the primary method of action for Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) in malaria control?
Answer: Applying insecticides to the interior walls of homes.
Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) operates by applying residual insecticides to the interior surfaces of dwellings, thereby killing mosquitoes that rest on these walls after feeding.
Which two malaria vaccines have been endorsed by the WHO as of 2023?
Answer: RTS,S and R21/Matrix-M
As of 2023, the World Health Organization has endorsed two malaria vaccines: RTS,S and R21/Matrix-M, primarily for use in children in endemic regions.
What is the main purpose of Seasonal Malaria Chemoprophylaxis (SMC)?
Answer: To provide preventive medication during peak malaria transmission seasons.
Seasonal Malaria Chemoprophylaxis (SMC) aims to prevent malaria illness by administering antimalarial drugs to high-risk populations during periods of highest transmission intensity.
Artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT) is the recommended treatment for uncomplicated *P. vivax* malaria.
Answer: False
Artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT) is primarily recommended for uncomplicated *P. falciparum* malaria. Treatment for *P. vivax* requires addressing both blood and dormant liver stages.
Treatment for *P. vivax* malaria only requires eliminating the parasite from the blood.
Answer: False
Effective treatment for *P. vivax* malaria necessitates eliminating parasites from both the blood and the dormant liver stages (hypnozoites) to prevent relapses.
Parenteral artesunate is the recommended treatment for uncomplicated malaria cases.
Answer: False
Parenteral artesunate is the recommended treatment for severe and complicated malaria cases. Uncomplicated malaria is typically treated with oral Artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT).
Counterfeit antimalarial drugs primarily improve treatment outcomes by providing a cheaper alternative.
Answer: False
Counterfeit and substandard antimalarial drugs do not improve treatment outcomes; instead, they pose a severe risk by leading to treatment failures, promoting drug resistance, and causing avoidable mortality.
The recommended treatment for uncomplicated *Plasmodium falciparum* malaria is:
Answer: Artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT).
Artemisinin-combination therapy (ACT) is the standard and recommended treatment for uncomplicated *Plasmodium falciparum* malaria, combining artemisinin derivatives with partner drugs.
Treating *P. vivax* malaria requires addressing parasites in both the blood and which other location?
Answer: The liver
Due to the presence of dormant liver-stage parasites (hypnozoites), treatment for *P. vivax* malaria must include drugs that eradicate these forms in the liver, in addition to clearing parasites from the blood.
What is the main risk associated with counterfeit and substandard antimalarial drugs?
Answer: They lead to treatment failures and drug resistance.
The primary risk associated with counterfeit and substandard antimalarial drugs is their ineffectiveness, which can result in treatment failure, the emergence and spread of drug resistance, and increased mortality.
Sir Ronald Ross is credited with the first observation of malaria parasites within human red blood cells.
Answer: False
Sir Ronald Ross is recognized for demonstrating the complete life cycle of the malaria parasite in mosquitoes. The initial observation of malaria parasites within human red blood cells is credited to Alphonse Laveran.
Carlos Finlay's research, conducted in Havana, provided strong evidence that mosquitoes transmit malaria.
Answer: True
Carlos Finlay's pioneering research in Havana provided significant evidence supporting the hypothesis that mosquitoes serve as vectors for malaria transmission.
Quinine, the first effective malaria treatment, was derived from a plant found in the Andes mountains.
Answer: True
Quinine, historically the primary treatment for malaria, was derived from the bark of the cinchona tree, indigenous to the Andes mountains of South America.
The discovery of artemisinin led to the 2015 Nobel Prize for Tu Youyou, recognizing its impact on treating *P. vivax* malaria.
Answer: False
The discovery of artemisinin, leading to the 2015 Nobel Prize for Tu Youyou, recognized its critical role in treating *P. falciparum* malaria, particularly severe cases, not *P. vivax*.
The WHO's Global Malaria Eradication Program (GMEP) successfully eradicated malaria globally by the 1970s.
Answer: False
The WHO's Global Malaria Eradication Program (GMEP), launched in 1955, aimed for global eradication but faced significant challenges, including resistance and funding issues, leading to a resurgence of malaria and failure to achieve its goal by the 1970s.
The historical gin and tonic is linked to malaria prevention due to the inclusion of quinine.
Answer: True
The historical practice of consuming gin and tonic is often linked to malaria prevention, as the tonic water contained quinine, a key antimalarial compound, making its consumption more palatable.
What historical figure first observed malaria parasites inside red blood cells in 1880?
Answer: Alphonse Laveran
Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran, a French physician, made the pivotal observation of malaria parasites inside red blood cells in 1880, establishing a protozoan cause for the disease.
The WHO's Global Malaria Eradication Program (GMEP) primarily relied on which two main strategies?
Answer: DDT for mosquito control and rapid diagnosis/treatment.
The GMEP primarily employed widespread application of DDT for vector control and the rapid diagnosis and treatment of infected individuals to interrupt malaria transmission.
*Plasmodium vivax* infections can lead to relapses months or years after the initial infection due to dormant liver stages called hypnozoites.
Answer: True
The characteristic relapsing nature of *Plasmodium vivax* malaria is attributed to the presence of dormant liver-stage parasites known as hypnozoites, which can reactivate long after the initial blood-stage infection has been treated.
The absence of Duffy antigens on red blood cells provides humans with increased susceptibility to malaria infection.
Answer: False
The absence of Duffy antigens on red blood cells confers resistance, particularly against *Plasmodium vivax* infection, rather than increasing susceptibility.
Sickle cell trait increases the risk of severe malaria by making red blood cells more vulnerable to parasite invasion.
Answer: False
Sickle cell trait is known to confer a degree of protection against severe malaria. It does not increase risk; rather, the altered hemoglobin and sickling of red blood cells can lead to their premature removal, hindering parasite proliferation.
The *Plasmodium* parasite completes its sexual reproductive cycle within the human host.
Answer: False
The sexual reproductive cycle of the *Plasmodium* parasite, involving gametocyte development and fertilization, occurs within the mosquito vector, not the human host.
The dormant stage of *P. vivax* that can remain in the liver and cause later relapses is known as:
Answer: Hypnozoites
Hypnozoites are the dormant forms of *P. vivax* sporozoites residing in the liver, which can reactivate months or years post-infection, leading to relapses by releasing merozoites into the bloodstream.
Which genetic factor is mentioned as providing resistance to malaria by modifying hemoglobin and causing premature removal of infected red blood cells?
Answer: Sickle cell trait
Sickle cell trait modifies hemoglobin, leading to sickling of erythrocytes under deoxygenation. This process can result in premature clearance of infected cells by the spleen, thereby limiting parasite replication.
The *P. falciparum* parasite evades destruction by the spleen primarily through a mechanism called:
Answer: Sequestration by sticking to blood vessel walls.
*P. falciparum* infected red blood cells express adhesive proteins that cause them to sequester, or stick, to the walls of blood vessels in vital organs, thereby avoiding splenic filtration and destruction.
Which of the following is NOT listed as a genetic factor conferring resistance to malaria?
Answer: Hemochromatosis
The source material identifies sickle cell trait, thalassemia traits, glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency, and the absence of Duffy antigens as genetic factors conferring malaria resistance. Hemochromatosis is not mentioned in this context.
The apicoplast, an organelle found in malaria parasites, is significant because:
Answer: It is essential for parasite metabolism and a target for drug development.
The apicoplast is a vital organelle for the malaria parasite's survival, involved in essential metabolic pathways like fatty acid synthesis, making it a key target for the development of novel antimalarial therapies.
Malaria has a positive economic impact on Africa due to increased healthcare spending and job creation in the pharmaceutical sector.
Answer: False
Malaria imposes a significant negative economic burden on Africa, estimated at US$12 billion annually, due to healthcare costs, lost productivity, and hindered development, rather than a positive impact.
The population size of the *Plasmodium falciparum* parasite began to significantly increase around the time humans developed agriculture.
Answer: True
Genetic and epidemiological evidence suggests that the population size of *Plasmodium falciparum* experienced a significant increase approximately 10,000 years ago, coinciding with the advent of agriculture and the establishment of settled human communities.
Climate change is expected to decrease the geographical range of malaria transmission.
Answer: False
Climate change is anticipated to potentially increase the geographical range of malaria transmission by altering temperature and rainfall patterns, making new areas suitable for mosquito vectors and parasite development.
The significant increase in the *Plasmodium falciparum* population approximately 10,000 years ago is linked to:
Answer: The development of agriculture and human settlements.
The increase in *Plasmodium falciparum* populations approximately 10,000 years ago is strongly correlated with the rise of agriculture and the establishment of denser human settlements, which created more favorable conditions for parasite transmission.
What is the estimated annual economic cost of malaria specifically in Africa?
Answer: US$12 billion
The economic impact of malaria in Africa is substantial, with estimates placing the annual cost at approximately US$12 billion, encompassing direct medical expenses and indirect losses from reduced productivity.
What is the UN's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) target related to malaria?
Answer: Target 3.3: End the epidemics of malaria and other infectious diseases by 2030.
Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3.3 explicitly aims to 'end the epidemics of AIDS, tuberculosis, malaria and neglected tropical diseases and combat hepatitis, water-borne diseases and other communicable diseases' by 2030.
How does climate change potentially impact malaria transmission according to the source?
Answer: By altering temperature and rainfall, potentially expanding endemic regions.
Climate change can alter environmental conditions, such as temperature and precipitation, which may expand the geographical range suitable for *Anopheles* mosquitoes and *Plasmodium* parasites, potentially increasing malaria transmission in new or existing areas.