XIII 



Malaria 



Introduction 



The malarial parasites of man 



The life-cycle of malarial parasites 

 Exo-erythrocytic phase 

 Erythrocytic phase 



General features 



Plasmodinm vivax 



Plasmodium falciparum 



Plasmodium malariae 



Plasmodium ovale 

 Mosquito phase 



Transfer of malarial parasites 



The human malarias 



Incubation periods 



Prodromal symptoms 



The paroxysm 



Some characteristic effects of the 



malarias 

 Duration of clinical attacks 

 Duration of infections 

 Relapses 

 Black water fever 

 Laboratory diagnosis 

 Chemotherapy 

 Control 

 Literature cited 



INTRODUCTION 



X^OR MANY CENTURIES malaria^ has been man's most important 

 protozoan disease. In spite of recent progress in malariology, the current 

 toll involves millions of cases annually, and malaria remains a serious 

 hindrance to economic and social development in various parts of the 

 world. In the eastern hemisphere, the history of malaria has included most 

 of Africa, southern and southeastern Asia, northern Australia, southern 

 Russia, England, and the European mainland bordering the Mediter- 

 ranean and Atlantic. Outbreaks have occurred as far north as Finland. 

 In the islands of the Pacific area, malaria extends southward from 

 Japan into the New Hebrides. In the western hemisphere malaria has 

 been prevalent from the central portions of South America to southern- 

 most Canada. Within this tremendous potential range, malaria has been 

 almost completely suppressed in a few regions and is gradually being 



^ An encyclopedic review of malaria in all its phases, recently published under the 

 editorship of M. F. Boyd (13), will be invaluable to all who are interested in the 

 subject. 



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