QUESTION

Is malaria related to hemophilia and nephrotic syndrome? If yes, how? Can anyone explain further?

ANSWER

Malaria is an infectious disease caused by the bite of an infected mosquito.  Hemophilia is a hereditary blood disease, and is not related to malaria.

However, there is a specific relationship between Plasmodium malariae and the nephrotic syndrome.  Along with bouts of fever and more general clinical symptoms such as chills and nausea, the presence of edema and the nephrotic syndrome has been documented with some P. malariae infections.  It has been suggested that immune complexes may cause structural glomerular damage and that renal disease may also occur. Although P. malariae alone has a low morbidity rate, it does contribute to the total morbidity caused by all Plasmodium species, as manifested in the incidences of anemia, low birth rate, nephrotic syndrome and reduced resistance to other infections.