Varying Erythrocytic Cycle Lengths
Malaria used to be classified through the terms "Tertian" and "Quartan" in regards to how often patients spiked temperatures.
- Tertian - Every 2nd day
- Quartan - Every 3rd day
The classification was abandoned since this isn't commonly observed in clinical practice, and it isn't useful for diagnostics.
The terms are more indicative of the length of time it takes to complete one erythrocytic cycle.
- P. knowlesi - 1 day
- P. falciparum - 2 days
- P. vivax - 2 days
- P. ovale - 2 days
- P. malariae - 3 days
