Falciparum malaria was familiar to the ancient Greeks, who gave the general name πυρετός (pyretós) "fever".
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P. falciparum does not have a fixed structure but undergoes continuous change during the course of its life cycle. A sporozoite is spindle-shaped and 10–15 μm long. In the liver it grows into an ovoid schizont of … See more

Humans are the intermediate hosts in which asexual reproduction occurs, and female anopheline mosquitos are the definitive hosts harbouring the sexual reproduction stage.
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A single anopheline mosquito can transmit hundreds of P. falciparum sporozoites in a single bite under experimental conditions, but, in nature the number is generally less than 80. The sporozoites do not enter the blood strea… See more

The clinical symptoms of falciparum malaria are produced by the rupture and destruction of erythrocytes by the merozoites. High fever, called paroxysm, is the most basic indication. The fever has a characterist… See more

P. falciparum is endemic in 84 countries, and is found in all continents except Europe. Historically, it was present in most European countries, but improved health conditions led to the disappearance in the early 20th c… See more