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12/12/20 16:22 PM IST

Types of malaria

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A not very common type of malaria, Plasmodium ovale, has been identified in a jawan in Kerala

Plasmodium ovale
  • P ovale malaria is endemic to tropical Western Africa. 
  • Plasmodium ovale is a cause of non-falciparum malaria infection.
  • Non-falciparum malaria is due to infection caused by Plasmodium species other than P. falciparum. 
  • Plasmodium ovale is a species of parasitic protozoa that causes tertian malaria in humans.
  • It is one of several species of Plasmodium parasites that infect humans including Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax which are responsible for most malarial infection.

Five species of Plasmodium (single-celled parasites) can infect humans and cause illness:

  • 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)

Types of malaria

Malaria is caused by the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito, if the mosquito itself is infected with a malarial parasite.
There are five kinds of malarial parasites — Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax (the commonest ones), Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium ovale and Plasmodium knowlesi. 

Source: The Hindu

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