Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 8, 2026

A Simple Protocol for Platelet-mediated Clumping of Plasmodium falciparum-infected Erythrocytes in a Resource Poor Setting
07:27

A Simple Protocol for Platelet-mediated Clumping of Plasmodium falciparum-infected Erythrocytes in a Resource Poor Setting

Published on: May 16, 2013

Adult respiratory distress syndrome complicating Plasmodium falciparum malaria

D K Asiedu1, C B Sherman

  • 1Thundermist Health Associates, Inc, Woonsocket, Rhode Island 02985, USA.

Heart & Lung : the Journal of Critical Care
|July 19, 2000
PubMed

In people who do not have clinical immunity to malaria, infection with the malaria parasite could lead to severe complications. We describe a patient who had acute and severe lung injury from malaria. A 37-year-old woman had a 24-hour history of generalized weakness and chills 2 days after returning from Nigeria. She had received mefloquine as prophylaxis, but the patient did not take the medication. On admission, a thick blood smear revealed severe Plasmodium falciparum parasitemia. She was given doxycycline and quinine, but as her parasitemia resolved, dyspnea and hypoxemia developed and she consequently required placement of an endotracheal tube. Chest radiography results showed bilateral and diffuse infiltrate. This report shows that patients with P falciparum malaria should be monitored closely and transferred to an intensive care unit for additional management if respiratory distress develops. Physicians caring for patients who have recently traveled to malaria-endemic areas need to anticipate the possible development of malaria with all of its complications, including acute lung injury.

More Related Videos

Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum10:22

Methods to Investigate the Regulatory Role of Small RNAs and Ribosomal Occupancy of Plasmodium falciparum

Published on: December 4, 2015

Detection and Quantification of Plasmodium falciparum in Aqueous Red Blood Cells by Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy and Multivariate Data Analysis10:50

Detection and Quantification of Plasmodium falciparum in Aqueous Red Blood Cells by Attenuated Total Reflection Infrared Spectroscopy and Multivariate Data Analysis

Published on: November 2, 2018

Related Concept Videos

Acute Respiratory Failure-I01:21

Acute Respiratory Failure-I

Acute respiratory failure is a condition characterized by the inability of the lungs to perform their primary function: gas exchange. This failure leads to insufficient oxygen levels (hypoxemia) in the blood, elevated carbon dioxide levels (hypercapnia), or both, causing critical impairment in organ function.
Definition: It is defined by specific criteria based on blood gas measurements. Hypoxemia happens when the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) falls below 60 mmHg. At the same time,...
Acute Respiratory Failure-II01:21

Acute Respiratory Failure-II

Type I Respiratory Failure, or hypoxemic respiratory failure, occurs when the partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) in arterial blood falls below 60 mmHg while breathing room air without a corresponding increase in arterial carbon dioxide levels (PaCO2). This condition highlights a significant impairment in the lungs' capacity to oxygenate the blood.
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Acute Respiratory Failure-III01:30

Acute Respiratory Failure-III

Hypercapnic respiratory failure, also known as Type 2 or ventilatory respiratory failure, is a severe condition characterized by the body's inability to effectively remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the bloodstream. It leads to an arterial CO2 pressure (PaCO2) exceeding 45 mmHg and a blood pH above 7.35. This situation indicates that the body's ventilatory demand, or the ventilation needed to maintain normal PaCO2 levels, surpasses its supply or the maximum gas flow achievable without causing...
Acute Respiratory Failure-IV01:23

Acute Respiratory Failure-IV

Respiratory failure can manifest suddenly or gradually, characterized by a rapid decline in PaO2 and a rapid rise in PaCO2. This situation indicates a severe respiratory problem that may quickly become a life-threatening emergency. One of the early signs of hypoxemic Acute Respiratory Failure (ARF) is a change in mental status due to the brain's sensitivity to oxygen levels and changes in acid-base balance. Symptoms such as restlessness, confusion, and agitation suggest inadequate oxygen...
Acute Respiratory Failure-V01:29

Acute Respiratory Failure-V

The treatment for acute respiratory failure varies based on factors like the underlying cause, overall health, and severity. A collaborative healthcare team is essential for early detection, often through arterial blood gas analysis. Identifying the cause is the primary goal, with treatment strategies adjusted for ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) mismatch, shunting, or diffusion impairment.
Ensure that patients are monitored continuously for their response to therapy, including changes in...
Malaria01:29

Malaria

Malaria pathogenesis in humans reflects a delicate interplay between parasite biology and host response. Clinical illness reflects a host’s immune response to the parasite’s asexual replication cycle, which is often asymptomatic in individuals with partial immunity. From the parasite's perspective, transmission between mosquito and human with minimal host pathology is evolutionarily advantageous. Among the six Plasmodium species infecting humans, P. falciparum and P. vivax dominate in global...