BIOCHEMISTRY, BIOMEDICINE & PHARMACEUTICS

               Malaria disease and Anti-malarial drugs WHO recommended second malaria vaccine: Please click   https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-03115-1 Malaria: - Estimated 300-500 million human infections per year throughout the world - Transmitted to humans through the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes - The parasite Plasmodium spp  cause infections in humans that is transmitted by the vector (mosquito).   Four major species are identified namely P falciparum, P vivax, P ovale, P malariae Antimalarial Drugs Overview Table: Category Drug Examples Target Stage Mechanism of Action Notable Side Effects Resistance Issues 4-Aminoquinolines Chloroquine, Amodiaquine Blood schizonts Inhibits heme detoxification (toxic buildup) Retinopathy, pruritus Widespread in P. falciparum 8-Aminoquinolines Primaquine, Tafenoquine Liver hypnozoites, gametocytes Produces reactive oxygen species Hemolysis (G6PD deficiency), GI upset Resistance...

                               MCQ on Malaria Parasites, Plasmodium spp                                     Figure: Plasmodium spp (in peripheral blood) 1. Malaria is widespread in numerous countries and is known to be a major cause of death due to parasitic infections, claiming millions of lives worldwide, with the highest mortality rates observed in Africa.  Which age group of people are more vulnerable to malaria?  a) 10 - 15 years of age b) > 5 years of age    c) < 40 years of age d) 10- 25 years of age 2. Which of the following Plasmodium  spp is the most virulent and also a leading cause of human fatalities from malaria  worldwide each year? a)  Plasmodium knowlesi b)  Plasmodium malariae c)  Plasmodium falciparum   d)  Plasmodium vivax  3...

                  Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and treatment of Malaria Malaria : -  A mosquito-borne infectious disease caused by the bite of a mosquito that carries the parasitic protozoa called Plasmodium species - The disease can be fatal and life-threatening for humans, transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. - Plasmodium species comes under the parasite group called "Sporozoa" - Malaria is one of the major zoonotic diseases that cause millions of human deaths each year - It is a major public health concern, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. More than 75% of deaths occur in the African region of the world, over a million people mostly children die from malaria each year worldwide Plasmodium species: - Malaria is a vector-borne infection that is spread through the bite of the mosquito, thus the term given for this type of infection is a 'zoonotic disease'. The infected...