what type of pathogen causes malaria

Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite of the genus Plasmodium , which is a single-celled eukaryotic microorganism.

What kind of pathogen is it?

• Malaria is not caused by a virus, bacterium, or fungus, but by a parasitic protozoan.

• These protozoa are single-celled parasites that live part of their life cycle in humans and part in mosquitoes.

The specific pathogen: Plasmodium

• The main Plasmodium species infecting humans include P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. knowlesi.

• P. falciparum and P. vivax are the most common and pose the greatest health threat worldwide.

How malaria spreads

• The protozoan parasite is transmitted through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, which act as vectors.

• When the mosquito bites, Plasmodium parasites enter the bloodstream, first infecting liver cells and then red blood cells.

TL;DR: Malaria is caused by a protozoan parasite, Plasmodium , transmitted to humans by infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.

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