Microbial Diseases A to Z | Disease Home Page | Bio 203 Home Page | MicroWorld

Malaria

Introduction. 

Malaria is one of the world's most serious infectious diseases, causing over 1,000,000 deaths annually. It is caused by protozoa of the genus Plasmodium, 4 of which cause human disease: P. vivax, P. falciparum, P. ovale and P. malariae. It is a vector-borne disease requiring the mosquito for part of the pathogen's life cycle.  Pathogenesis mainly involves lysis of red blood cells and release of toxic cell contents.

 

Summary

Comparison of malarial pathogens