For a 2 micron cell diameter (a relatively large bacterium or a very small eukaryotic cell), the 4 nm thickness implies an aspect ratio of 1:500, similar to the case of an airplane.
Malaria is caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium. Human malaria is caused by four different species of Plasmodium: P. falciparum, P. malariae, P. ovale and P. vivax. Humans occasionally become infected with Plasmodium species that normally infect animals, such as P. knowlesi.
Human malaria is caused by infection with intracellular parasites of the genus Plasmodium that are transmitted by Anopheles mosquitoes. Of the four species of Plasmodium that infect humans, Plasmodium falciparum is the most lethal. Resistance to anti-malarial drugs and insecticides, the decay of public health infrastructure, population movements, political unrest, and environmental changes are contributing to the spread of malaria.