falciparum malaria

Plasmodium falciparum is the deadliest of the Plasmodium species that cause malaria in humans. This protozoan parasite is spread by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. Symptoms typically appear 10 to 28 days after infection and can include chills, fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal cramps.12

P. falciparum infections are particularly dangerous, as they can lead to rapid deterioration, coma, and death if not treated promptly. This is due to the parasite infecting a large proportion of red blood cells and causing them to adhere to blood vessel walls, obstructing blood flow, especially in the brain, leading to cerebral malaria. While treatments like quinine and newer drugs such as chloroquine and artemisinin exist, drug resistance in P. falciparum strains is a growing concern. Prevention methods include insecticide-treated bed nets and mosquito control.234