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Malaria
More than a million people
die of malaria every year. Virtually all malaria
deaths occurs in areas inhabited by the female
Anopheles mosquito. Four members of the genus
plasmodium cause malaria in humans; Plasmodium
malaria, P vivax, P ovale and P. falciparum.
The disease
occurs when any of the four species is present
in the saliva of an anopheles mosquito and is
injected into the human bloodstream by the
incest’s bite. The parasites infect the liver
and ultimately release progeny back into the
bloodstream, where red blood cells become
infected. The red blood cells lyses, showering
the bloodstream with more parasites, which then
infect additional red blood cells. Rupture of
the red blood cells occurs in a synchronized
manner, resulting in the periodic episodes of
chills and fever that are typical of malaria.
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