What a Biomedical Scientist Should Know About 

Malaria: Barriers to and Risks for Transmission, and

Possible Mitigation Strategies
Autores: Carolina Fajardo, Carolina Costa, Catarina Leal, Cremilde Fernandes, Daniela Oliveira
Instituto Politécnico de Coimbra, ESTESC-Coimbra Health School, Ciências Biomédicas Laboratoriais, Portugal
U.C.: Imunohemoterapia Clínico-Laboratorial II Professor: Fernando Mendes
Edição 18/2022
21 a 25 Novembro
Objective
The objective of this project is to present larger views concerning Malaria when addressing its transmission, probable scientific barriers and possible mitigation strategies. In the final analysis
one will be able to comprehend the obstacles Biomedical Scientists are still confronted with presently.

Introduction Barriers
• Low parasite circulating levels, placental • Strategies depend on the severity of the
• Malaria  is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquitoes that carry Plasmodium, an intracellular parasite. 
• Most common etiological agents:  sequestration of parasitized erythrocytes, illness, the amount of parasites, and the
• Plasmodium vivax   Symptoms  and a lack of effective diagnostic tools in availability of trained technical resources.
malaria-endemic regions are all contributing • Restricted resources, tools, and techniques
• Plasmodium falciparum     
factors. available.

Clinical Case
Transmission and epidemiology
• Primarily affects  endemic regions and people
who travel to those areas and is among the most
frequent infections in humans worldwide. 
• The intensity of malaria transmission, population
acquired immunity, and illnesses  manifestations
are all closely intertwined.
Fig.1 - Reported Malaria cases, 2022
Fig.3 - Trophozoite of P.malariae
Fig.2 - Infection cycles of Malaria

Mitigation Strategies   Diagnosis 
• There are few transfusion-transmitted Malaria reported cases
in developed countries currently.  In Portugal
• Mitigation strategies divert from country to country: Fig.4 - Schizont of P.malariae

• Platelet count has lowered ​
• Elevation of transaminases ​
• C-reactive protein value was 2,66 g/dL ​
• Search for Plasmodium spp and anti-dengue antibodies were again both negative.​
• PBS →forms of Plasmodium malariae were observed​
​ Fig.5 - Schizont of P.malariae

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