Case study #4 Plasmodium falciparum is the most virulent cau…

Case study #4 Plasmodium falciparum is the most virulent causative agent of malaria. This parasite has a trophozoite form that must undergo a life cycle within the gut of the female Anopheles mosquito to be naturally transmitted to the next host. The parasite also has separate trophozoite forms in the liver and blood of humans. If the malaria parasite is introduced into a pregnant woman, it can cross the placental barrier and infect the developing fetus. People at increased risk for malaria infection are children under 5 years old, pregnant women, and people with AIDS (active HIV infection).   The Anopheles mosquito is an example of a

Case study #4 Plasmodium falciparum is the most virulent cau…

Case study #4 Plasmodium falciparum is the most virulent causative agent of malaria. This parasite has a trophozoite form that must undergo a life cycle within the gut of the female Anopheles mosquito to be naturally transmitted to the next host. The parasite also has separate trophozoite forms in the liver and blood of humans. If the malaria parasite is introduced into a pregnant woman, it can cross the placental barrier and infect the developing fetus. People at increased risk for malaria infection are children under 5 years old, pregnant women, and people with AIDS (active HIV infection).   For most cases of P. faciparum (not mother to fetus), the portal of entry is:

Thanks for a great semester! It was a pleasure to have you a…

Thanks for a great semester! It was a pleasure to have you all in class this spring. I hope that you have a safe and restful summer, and please let me know if I can be of any help in your future. Remember to do your part to prevent COVID-19: get vaccinated (if medically appropriate and you haven’t done so already) wear a mask consistently and correctly when in public or with others who are not vaccinated, socially distance, limit indoor social engagements, protect vulnerable populations, and wash your hands!

Case study #2 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is an envel…

Case study #2 Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) is an enveloped retrovirus that has humans as its only reservoir. The spikes on HIV specifically bind to CD4 molecules of specific leukocytes and lymphocytes. After the viral genetic material is reverse transcribed by an enzyme known for its high error rate and poor proofreading, it is integrated into the host cell’s chromosome. The virus then enters a period of latency. When activated, viral proteins are made using the same machinery and mechanisms as typical host cell proteins. Rapid viral replication results in the death of the host cell. A person with HIV has progressed to clinical AIDS when CD4 cells fall below 200 cells per cubic millimeter of blood. (The CD4 count of a healthy adult/adolescent ranges from 500 cells/mm3 to 1,200 cells/mm3.)