Four Plasmodium species are responsible for human malaria

The four species of Plasmodium and the nature of the disease they cause.

P.falciparum is prevalent in all continents falciparum malaria or malaria tropica acute, highly dangerous disease incubation time 7-12 days tertian fever (48 h) only one attack, no relapse cure, if any, within several months	P.vivax between 37°N and 25°S benign fever incubation time 15 days to 9 months tertian fever (48 h periodicity) relapses
P.ovale (strongly resembles P.vivax) same distribution as P.vivax but only there where P.vivax is absent benign fever incubation time 15 days - 4 years tertian fever (48 h) relapses	P.malariae benign fever incubation + 3 weeks quartan fever (72 h periodicity) longevity 3-20 years relapses

P. vivax is the most extensively distributed and causes much debilitating disease. P. falciparum, which is also widely spread, results in the most severe infections and is responsible for nearly all malaria-related deaths. P. ovale which is mainly confined to Africa is less prevalent, while P. malariae, which causes the least severe but most persistent infections, also occurs widely.

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created by :Fred Opperdoes