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.
Malaria causes. Malaria is caused by protozoan of the genus Plasmodium. 1  Infection begins with a bite from an infected mosquito. 2  The parasite travels from the mosquito to your liver, where the parasite begins to reproduce. 3  The parasite leaves the liver and travels to the bloodstream, where it infects red blood cells.