Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 23, 2026

Standard Membrane Feeding Assay for the Detection of Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Anopheles Mosquito Vectors
05:28

Standard Membrane Feeding Assay for the Detection of Plasmodium falciparum Infection in Anopheles Mosquito Vectors

Published on: May 12, 2022

Malaria: severe, life-threatening

Aika Amy Anita Omari1, Paul Garner

  • 1Glan Clwyd Hospital, Rhyl, Denbighshire, UK.

BMJ Clinical Evidence
|May 21, 2009
PubMed

Insights

This systematic review examines antimalarial treatments for severe falciparum malaria. It found 31 studies on interventions like artemether and artesunate, assessing their effectiveness and safety.

Area of Science:

  • Tropical medicine
  • Infectious diseases
  • Clinical pharmacology

Background:

  • Severe malaria disproportionately impacts young children, non-immune travelers, and migrants.
  • Cerebral malaria presents a high fatality rate (approx. 20%) and potential for neurological sequelae.
  • Severe malarial anemia carries a significant mortality risk exceeding 13%.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review the effects of antimalarial and adjunctive treatments for complicated falciparum malaria in non-pregnant individuals.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of various interventions for severe malaria.

Main Methods:

  • Conducted a systematic literature review up to December 2006, searching major databases (Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library).
  • Included data from 31 systematic reviews, randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and observational studies.
  • Incorporated safety alerts from regulatory agencies like the US FDA and UK MHRA.

Main Results:

  • Identified 31 studies meeting inclusion criteria for the systematic review.
  • Evaluated a range of interventions including dexamethasone, blood transfusions, intramuscular artemether, and intravenous artesunate.

Conclusions:

  • The review synthesizes evidence on the effectiveness and safety of key interventions for severe malaria.
  • Provides critical information for clinicians managing complicated falciparum malaria.
Abstract

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

Phenotypic Analysis of Rodent Malaria Parasite Asexual and Sexual Blood Stages and Mosquito Stages08:23

Phenotypic Analysis of Rodent Malaria Parasite Asexual and Sexual Blood Stages and Mosquito Stages

Published on: May 30, 2019

Related Concept Videos

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...
Symbiosis00:58

Symbiosis

Symbiotic relationships are long-term, close interactions between individuals of different species that affect the distribution and abundance of those species. When a relationship is beneficial to both species, this is called mutualism. When the relationship is beneficial to one species but neither beneficial nor harmful to the other species, this is called commensalism. When one organism is harmed to benefit another, the relationship is known as parasitism. These types of relationships often...
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever01:26

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF) is a severe tick-borne illness caused by Rickettsia rickettsii, a Gram-negative, coccobacillary bacterium. This pathogen is an obligate intracellular parasite, requiring a host cell for replication. Transmission occurs through the bite of an infected tick. In the United States, the most important vectors are Dermacentor variabilis (American dog tick) and Dermacentor andersoni (Rocky Mountain wood tick), though other tick species may also serve as vectors.
Bacterial Meningitis I: Introduction01:22

Bacterial Meningitis I: Introduction

Bacterial meningitis is a severe, life-threatening inflammation of the meninges, particularly the pia mater and arachnoid mater, affecting the subarachnoid space, ventricles, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). If untreated, it can lead to significant neurological complications or death.Causative AgentsCommon pathogens vary with age and immune status. In adults, major organisms include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Neisseria meningitidis, and Haemophilus influenzae. Streptococcus agalactiae (group B...
Cryptococcal Meningitis01:27

Cryptococcal Meningitis

Cryptococcal meningitis is a life-threatening opportunistic infection predominantly associated with HIV/AIDS, accounting for over 100,000 deaths annually worldwide. However, it also affects individuals with other forms of immunosuppression, including those undergoing immunosuppressive therapy, organ transplant recipients, patients with innate immunodeficiencies, and individuals with hematological disorders. The infection is caused mainly by Cryptococcus neoformans and Cryptococcus gattii,...
Yellow Fever01:18

Yellow Fever

Yellow fever is a viral hemorrhagic disease caused by the yellow fever virus (YFV), a member of the Flaviviridae family. It is transmitted primarily by Aedes and Haemagogus mosquitoes in tropical and subtropical regions of Africa and South America. After transmission through a mosquito bite, the virus initially replicates in skin-resident immune cells such as dendritic cells and macrophages. These cells then migrate to the lymph nodes, where viral replication increases, eventually leading to...