A traveler with fever every 48 hours and paroxysms is most consistent with which malaria species?

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Study for the NBME Form 13 Test with our comprehensive quiz collection, featuring flashcards and multiple-choice questions to ensure your readiness. Enhance your knowledge with detailed explanations for each question.

Multiple Choice

A traveler with fever every 48 hours and paroxysms is most consistent with which malaria species?

Explanation:
Fever periodicity in malaria mirrors the parasite’s blood-stage life cycle, with paroxysms marking the rupture of infected red blood cells. A fever that recurs every 48 hours is classic for tertian malaria, which is caused by Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale. Among the options, vivax fits this pattern best, and it also commonly relapses due to dormant liver hypnozoites, which can trigger recurrent fevers even after the initial blood-stage infection is cleared. In contrast, falciparum malaria tends to have irregular or daily fevers, and malariae produces a 72-hour (quartan) fever cycle.

Fever periodicity in malaria mirrors the parasite’s blood-stage life cycle, with paroxysms marking the rupture of infected red blood cells. A fever that recurs every 48 hours is classic for tertian malaria, which is caused by Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale. Among the options, vivax fits this pattern best, and it also commonly relapses due to dormant liver hypnozoites, which can trigger recurrent fevers even after the initial blood-stage infection is cleared. In contrast, falciparum malaria tends to have irregular or daily fevers, and malariae produces a 72-hour (quartan) fever cycle.

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