Malaria is caused by what?

• A. Virus
• B. Parasite
• C. Bacterium
• D. Fungus

Answer: (B)

Malaria is caused by a parasite. Specifically, people get malaria from Plasmodium species, which are protozoan parasites. The parasite is transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes. After entry, the parasite first travels to the liver, multiplies, and then bursts into the bloodstream to infect red blood cells. The repeated cycles of red blood cell invasion and destruction lead to fevers, chills, and other symptoms.

This isn’t caused by a virus, bacterium, or fungus. Viruses need host cells to replicate but are not cells themselves; bacteria are single-celled organisms that can cause disease but malaria’s culprit are protozoan parasites. Fungi are another separate group of organisms. So the disease-causing agent for malaria is a parasite.