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Home / Malaria Q&A / Malaria Causes

Malaria Causes

March 17, 2012 By Malaria Q&A Leave a Comment

QUESTION

What are the causes of malaria?

ANSWER

Malaria is caused by a parasite called Plasmodium, which is transmitted via the bites of infected mosquitoes. In the human body, the parasites multiply in the liver, and then infect red blood cells. Usually, people get malaria by being bitten by an infective female Anopheles mosquito. Only Anopheles mosquitoes can transmit malaria and they must have been infected through a previous blood meal taken on an infected person. When a mosquito bites an infected person, a small amount of blood is taken in which contains microscopic malaria parasites. About 1 week later, when the mosquito takes its next blood meal, these parasites mix with the mosquito’s saliva and are injected into the person being bitten.

Please see “Malaria Symptoms and Causes” for more.

Filed Under: Malaria Q&A Tagged With: Anopheles, blood meal, Blood transfusion, congenital malaria, liver, Malaria causes, Malaria Diagnosis, mosquito, organ transplant, Plasmodium, red blood cells

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