Causes of malaria
Learn about the causes of malaria and how it is spread.
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What causes malaria?
Malaria is caused by a parasite in a group of parasites called Plasmodium. There are 5 different kinds of parasites in this group that can cause the disease.
How is malaria spread?
Malaria is spread to people by the bite of a female mosquito infected with malaria parasites. This type of mosquito bites from sunset to sunrise.
In rare cases, transmission can also occur through:
- mother to fetus
- blood transfusion
- the sharing of needles