How is malaria transmitted?

How is malaria transmitted?

• A. Bite of certain types of mosquitoes
• B. Ingestion of cysts in water
• C. Direct contact with contaminated surfaces
• D. Airborne spores

Answer: (A)

Malaria is spread through the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes, which act as the vector carrying Plasmodium parasites. When the mosquito feeds, it injects sporozoites into the person’s bloodstream, these travel to the liver, multiply, and then infect red blood cells, causing disease. This makes malaria a vector-borne illness, not something acquired from drinking water, touching contaminated surfaces, or through the air. Ingesting cysts in water is a route for certain intestinal protozoa, direct contact with contaminated surfaces isn’t how malaria spreads, and airborne spores are typical of fungi, not malaria-causing parasites. The key point is the mosquito bite.

Malaria is spread through the bite of female Anopheles mosquitoes, which act as the vector carrying Plasmodium parasites. When the mosquito feeds, it injects sporozoites into the person’s bloodstream, these travel to the liver, multiply, and then infect red blood cells, causing disease. This makes malaria a vector-borne illness, not something acquired from drinking water, touching contaminated surfaces, or through the air. Ingesting cysts in water is a route for certain intestinal protozoa, direct contact with contaminated surfaces isn’t how malaria spreads, and airborne spores are typical of fungi, not malaria-causing parasites. The key point is the mosquito bite.