Malaria in humans is caused by Plasmodium species, with the primary ones being:
- Plasmodium falciparum: This is the deadliest species, causing most malaria deaths and severe complications like cerebral malaria.
- Plasmodium vivax: The most prevalent species, it causes chronic malaria with frequent relapses due to dormant liver-stage parasites.
- Plasmodium ovale: Similar to P. vivax, P. ovale causes relapsing malaria and is less common, found in specific tropical areas.
- Plasmodium malariae: This species results in milder malaria infections that can be persistent but are less severe than those caused by P. falciparum and P. vivax.
Transmission: Infected female Anopheles mosquitoes transmit malaria via their bite, introducing the Plasmodium parasite into the bloodstream. The parasite infects liver cells before invading red blood cells.
Plasmodium species progress through various developmental stages in both mosquitoes and humans, leading to malaria symptoms such as fever, chills, and anemia.