Plasmodium falciparum
Plasmodium falciparum is a protozoan parasite, one of the species of Plasmodium which cause malaria in humans. It is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. P. falciparum is the most dangerous of these infections as P. falciparum (or malignant) malaria has the highest rates of complications and mortality.
| Plasmodium falciparum | |
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| Blood smear of Plasmodium falciparum | |
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| Plasmodium falciparum | |
There are about 200 species in the genus Plasmodium, divided into 15 sub-genera. The parasites are partners in a complex co-evolution with mosquitos and land vertebrate species.[1]
Plasmodium Falciparum Media
Laveran's drawing of various stages of P. falciparum as seen on fresh blood (1880).
Blood smear from a P. falciparum culture (K1 strain - asexual forms) - several red blood cells have ring stages inside them. Close to the center is a schizont and on the left a trophozoite.
Ring forms in red blood cells (Giemsa stain)
Anopheles mosquito, the carrier of Plasmodium falciparum
Life cycle of Plasmodium
Relative incidence of Plasmodium species by country of origin for imported cases to non-endemic countries, showing P. falciparum (red) predominating in areas including Africa and the Caribbean.
The Z(T) normalized index of temperature suitability for P. falciparum displayed by week across an average year.
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