Disease & Transmission

Malaria is transmitted when a person is bitten by a mosquito carrying the parasite that causes the disease.

Types of Malaria

There are four species of parasites that cause malaria in humans.

The most common species in Africa is the Plasmodium falciparum species, which causes the most virulent and potentially deadly form of the disease.

The Plasmodium vivax species causes a recurrent, episodic but not life-threatening form of malaria.

The other two species that cause malaria are Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium malariae.