A nurse is volunteering with a medical team in Southeast Asia. A 35-year-old female presents to the clinic reporting that the village doctors have diagnosed her with malaria. The nurse notes that the woman is febrile, tachypneic, and her eyes have a yellow tint. She reports generalized body aches and weakness. Through a translator, the nurse collects the woman's medical history. She reports feeling ill for about ten days, experiencing several cycles of fever, sweating, and chills that are temporarily relieved before occurring again. The village doctors treated her with a combination of a mosquito paste and an indigenous root, but her symptoms have not improved. The medical team performs serological testing at the clinic and confirms a diagnosis of malaria.
-What is the cause of the cyclical nature of the woman's symptoms?

Question

A nurse is volunteering with a medical team in Southeast Asia. A 35-year-old female presents to the clinic reporting that the village doctors have diagnosed her with malaria. The nurse notes that the woman is febrile, tachypneic, and her eyes have a yellow tint. She reports generalized body aches and weakness.  Through a translator, the nurse collects the woman's medical history. She reports feeling ill for about ten days, experiencing several cycles of fever, sweating, and chills that are temporarily relieved before occurring again. The village doctors treated her with a combination of a mosquito paste and an indigenous root, but her symptoms have not improved. The medical team performs serological testing at the clinic and confirms a diagnosis of malaria.
-What is the cause of the cyclical nature of the woman's symptoms?

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The cyclical nature of the woman's symptoms is a characteristic feature of malaria caused by the synchronous rupture of red blood cells (RBCs) releasing merozoites, which invade new RBCs and start a new cycle of replication. This cyclical pattern is responsible for the recurring fevers and chills seen in malaria.

A Nurse Is Volunteering with a Medical Team in Southeast