Title: Malaria parasites
Course: Communicable Diseases Part 1 - Ethiopia (Full)

Malaria parasites

You learned in Study Session 5 that there are four types of malaria parasite that can infect people. They are single-celled protozoa that can only be seen if viewed under a microscope (Figure 6.4).

Figure 6.4 Developmental stages of malaria parasites (Plasmodium species) in the blood, stained to make them visible when magnified by a microscope. (Source: WHO, 1991, Basic Malaria Microscopy, Part 1: Learner's Guide, 2nd edition)

Can you recall the two forms of malaria that are most common in Ethiopia, and which one of them is more dangerous?

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P. vivax is responsible for around 40% of cases and P. falciparum is responsible for around 60% of cases of malaria in Ethiopia. P. falciparum causes the most dangerous type of malaria and often kills untreated patients. P. vivax (and the other two rare forms) can make people very sick, but are not usually killers.

In some areas of Ethiopia falciparum malaria is more common, while in other areas vivax malaria is more common. Falciparum malaria is more common in Africa than in other parts of the world, and this is one reason why there are more deaths from malaria in Africa than elsewhere.