Question

A nurse is teaching a group of nursing students about the two most common forms of malaria, Plasmodium vivax malaria and Plasmodium falciparum malaria. Which statement by a student indicates a need for further teaching?

A) "Once erythrocyte forms of P. falciparum are eliminated, relapse will not occur."B) "Patients with P. vivax malaria experience relapse with increased frequency over time."C) "Patients with P. falciparum malaria experience symptoms at irregular intervals."D) "Patients with P. vivax malaria rarely encounter drug resistance."

Answer 1

Answer: B) "Patients with P. vivax malaria experience relapse with increased frequency over time."

Step-by-step explanation:

The relapse is likely to occur in P. vivax malaria. The P.vivax is the dormant parasite remain in the liver. As the time passes the relapse with this parasite becomes less frequent and stops entirely. The relapse does not occur with the strain of P. falciparum malaria. This is because the P. falciparum does not produce hypnozoites that can become dormant. Thus the symptoms of P. falciparum appear at irregular intervals as compared to the P. vivax whose symptoms remain at peak at every 48 hours. The drug resistance for P. vivax is also uncommon.