Falciparum malaria

The most dangerous type of malaria. Persons carrying the sickle cell gene have some protection against malaria. Persons with a gene for hemoglobin C (another abnormal hemoglobin like sickle hemoglobin), thalassemia trait or deficiency of the enzyme glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) are thought also to have partial protection against malaria.

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fal·cip·a·rum malaria fal-'sip-ə-rəm-, fȯl- n severe malaria caused by a parasite of the genus Plasmodium (P. falciparum) and marked by irrregular recurrence of paroxysms and usu. prolonged or continuous fever called also malignant malaria, malignant tertian malaria, subtertian malaria compare VIVAX MALARIA

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malaria due to Plasmodium falciparum, in which febrile paroxysms recur irregularly. It is the most severe form of malaria and has the highest levels of parasites in the blood; sometimes it is fatal. It is also the type most likely to be associated with pernicious symptoms, which are the result of sludging and formation in the capillaries of microinfarcts consisting of erythrocytes infected with later stages of P. falciparum. Microinfarctions may occur in the brain, liver, adrenal gland, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, lungs, or other organs. Called also malignant tertian m. and pernicious m. See also blackwater fever, under fever.