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Why does Plasmodium knowlesi malaria sometimes cause daily fever spikes?
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malaria
Life cycle of a malaria parasite.
Plasmodium knowlesi causes daily fever spikes because it possesses the shortest life cycle of any human Plasmodium pathogen, completing its development within red blood cells in approximately 24 hours.12
In malaria, the characteristic periodic chills and fever are caused by the synchronized rupture of infected red blood cells, which releases toxins into the bloodstream. While other species like P. falciparum, P. vivax, and P. ovale have 48-hour cycles and P. malariae has a 72-hour cycle, the 24-hour cycle of P. knowlesi results in the parasite rupturing from blood cells on a daily basis.12