Malaria is a serious infectious disease caused by four
different species of a parasite belonging to genus Plasmodium:
Plasmodium falciparum (the most deadly), Plasmodium vivax,
Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium ovale. It is
characterized by recurrent symptoms of chills, fever, and an
enlarged spleen. Malignant malaria is caused by P. falciparum