What is malaria?
Highlights Malaria is a life-threatening disease that’s typically transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Malaria is usually found in tropical and subtropical climates where the parasites that cause it live. Congenital malaria occurs when a mother with malaria passes on the disease to her baby at birth. Malaria is a life-threatening disease. It’s typically transmitted through the bite of an infected Anopheles mosquito. Infected mosquitoes carry the Plasmodium parasite. When this mosquito bites you, the parasite is released into your bloodstream. Once the parasites are inside your body, they travel to the liver , where they mature. After several days, the mature parasites enter the bloodstream and begin to infect red blood cells . Within 48 to 72 hours, the parasites inside the red blood cells multiply, causing the infected cells to burst open. Learn more about mosquitoes and treating mosquit...