Malaria is a leading cause of death and disease worldwide, especially in developing countries. It is estimated that each year 300 to 500 million cases of malaria occur, and more than 1 million people die of malaria annually. Although malaria can be a fatal disease, in many cases death can be prevented with proper and prompt treatment.
The cause of malaria is an infection with malaria parasites.
Plasmodium is the name for the species of microscopic parasites that cause malaria
(see Malaria Causes). There are over 100 species of
Plasmodium, which can infect animal species, such as:
- Reptiles
- Birds
- Various mammals.
Only four species of Plasmodium infect humans in nature. These four types of Plasmodium include:
- Plasmodium falciparum
- Plasmodium vivax
- Plasmodium ovale
- Plasmodium malariae.
Malaria is usually transmitted through the bite of an infected female
Anopheles mosquito. Less commonly, malaria is spread through contact with infected blood.
Malaria is not transmitted from person to person, like the
common cold or the flu. You cannot get malaria from casual contact with malaria-infected people.
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