Malaria is a an infection of the erythrocytes caused by Plasmodium protozoa which is spread by the female Anopheles mosquito. There are four different species which cause disease in man:
Plasmodium falciparum causes nearly all episodes of severe malaria. The other three types, of which Plasmodium vivax is the most common, cause 'benign' malaria.
Malaria leads to:
The protection from malaria that sickle-cell trait offers is well documented. Other protective factors include