Malaria, among the most lethal of worldwide human infection is transmitted by the bite of an infective female Anopheles mosquito, which serves as the vector and definitive host.
Four species of Plasmodium infect humans: P. falciparum, P. ovale, P. malariae and P. vivax.
Of these species P. falciparum is the most virulence of the human malaria parasites and is responsible for bulk of the malaria related morbidity and mortality.
Perhaps the most important is the fact that many mosquito bites may not result in malaria, yet one can get malaria after a few bites or even without being bitten recently, depending on the mosquito spices that is biting.
The infection can be transmitted through exposure to infected blood and blood products, organ transplantation, or contaminated needles or by vertical transmission.
The most common clinical manifestation of acute malaria infection are fever, rigors, malaise, headaches, myalgias, and arthralgias. Splenomegaly is the most consistent physical finding.
Etiology of malaria
