Terms You Should Know About Malaria
Anemia
A decrease in number of red blood cells and/or quantity of hemoglobin. Malaria causes anemia through rupture of red blood cells. The anemia caused may be extreme. Pallor may be visible in the patient.
Animal trap
A cage, generally made of cloth, that is baited with an animal such as a cow, goat, etc. Collections of mosquitoes are made on the walls of this trap to assess and compare populations biting domestic animals with populations in dwellings.
Cerebral malaria
This grave complication of malaria involves malaria infection of the very small capillaries that flow through the tissues of the brain. This complication has a fatality rate of 15% or more, even when treated and is extremely serious.
Congenital malaria
Malaria acquired from the mother at birth.
Exit trap
A trap constructed to capture mosquitoes that are exiting a house or structure. Exit traps are often used in studies that compare the tendency of mosquitoes to rest indoors after feeding versus to fly outside after feeding.
Hypnozoite
A stage of malaria parasites found in liver cells. After sporozoites invade liver cells, some develop into latent forms called hypnozoites. They become active months or years later, producing a recurrent malaria attack.
Hypoglycemia
Blood glucose less than the lower value of normal. Glucose levels of 40 and below constitute severe hypoglycemia, a life-threatening emergency. Hypoglycemia is common in malaria, as malaria parasitized red blood cells utilize glucose 75 times faster than uninfected cells.
Imported malaria
A case of malaria that is brought into an area by someone who has become infected somewhere else. The person could be either a tourist or immigrant.
Induced malaria
Malaria acquired through artificial means (e.g. blood transfusion, dirty syringes, or malariotherapy).
Introduced malaria
Malaria acquired by mosquito transmission from an imported case in an area where malaria is not a regular occurrence.
Paroxysm
A sudden attack or increase in intensity of a symptom, usually occurring in intervals. Malaria is classically described as producing fever paroxysms; sudden severe temperature elevations accompanied by profuse sweating.
Recrudescense
A repeated attack of malaria (short term relapse or delayed), due to the survival of malaria parasites in red blood cells.
Recurrence
A repeated attack weeks, months, or occasionally years, after initial malaria infection, also called a long-term relapse. Due to re-infection of red blood cells from malaria parasites (hypnozoites) that persisted in liver cells (hepatocytes).
Residual treatment
Treatment of houses, animal sheds, and other buildings where people or animals spend nighttime hours with insecticide that has residual effectiveness.
Splenomegaly
An enlarged spleen. A common finding in malaria patients that sometimes can be detected by physical examination. May occur in otherwise asymptomatic patients and is of use in conducting malaria surveys of a community, although it should not be the only factor considered when counting cases.
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