quartan malaria

malaria /ma·lar·ia/ (mah-lar´e-ah) an infectious febrile disease endemic in many warm regions of the world, caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium, which are parasitic in red blood cells; it is transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes and marked by attacks of chills, fever, and sweating occurring at intervals that depend on the time required for development of a new generation of parasites in the body.malar´ial

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falciparum malaria  the most serious form, due to Plasmodium falciparum, with severe constitutional symptoms and sometimes causing death.

ovale malaria  a mild form due to Plasmodium ovale, with recurring tertian febrile paroxysms and a tendency to end in spontaneous recovery.

quartan malaria  that in which the febrile paroxysms occur every 72 hours, or every fourth day counting the day of occurrence as the first day of each cycle; due to Plasmodium malariae.

quotidian malaria  vivax malaria in which the febrile paroxysms occur daily.

tertian malaria  vivax malaria in which the febrile paroxysms occur every 42 to 47 hours, or every third day counting the day of occurrence as the first day of the cycle.

vivax malaria  that due to Plasmodium vivax, in which the febrile paroxysms commonly occur every other day (tertian m.), but may occur daily (quotidian m.), if there are two broods of parasites segmenting on alternate days.

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quartan malaria

n.

See malariae malaria.

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quartan malaria,

a form of malaria, caused by the protozoan Plasmodium malariae, characterized by febrile paroxysms that occur every 72 hours. Also called quartan fever. Compare falciparum malaria, tertian malaria. See also malaria.