Four kinds of malaria parasites infect humans: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae.

The plasmodium parasite is spread by female Anopheles mosquitoes, which are known as “night-biting” mosquitoes because they most commonly bite between dusk and dawn. If a mosquito bites a person already infected with malaria, it can also become infected and spread the parasite on to other people.

The definition of severe malaria relies upon WHO criteria revised in 2000. In children living in endemic areas, the most frequent criteria are impaired consciousness, severe anaemia, respiratory distress or acidosis, multiple convulsions and hypoglycaemia.

Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax are the most common types of malaria parasite that infect humans. Plasmodium falciparum causes the most serious, life-threatening infections in humans.

What Are the Different Types of Malaria Parasites?

• Plasmodium falciparum (or P. falciparum)
• Plasmodium malariae (or P. malariae)
• Plasmodium vivax (or P. vivax)
• Plasmodium ovale (or P. ovale)
• Plasmodium knowlesi (or P. knowlesi)

Malaria disease can be categorized as uncomplicated or severe (complicated). In general, malaria is a curable disease if diagnosed and treated promptly and correctly. All the clinical symptoms associated with malaria are caused by the asexual erythrocytic or blood stage parasites.

Plasmodium vivax is found mainly in Asia, Latin America, and in some parts of Africa. P. vivax is believed to have originated in Asia, but recent studies have shown that wild chimpanzees and gorillas throughout central Africa are endemically infected with parasites that are closely related to human P. vivax.

The average incubation period is 9-14 days for Plasmodium falciparum, 12-17 days for infections by Plasmodium vivax and 18-40 days for infections caused by Plasmodium malariae [1].