Plasmodium falciparum

Plasmodium falciparum is a protozoan parasite, one of the species of Plasmodium which cause malaria in humans. It is transmitted by the female Anopheles mosquito. P. falciparum is the most dangerous of these infections as P. falciparum (or malignant) malaria has the highest rates of complications and mortality.

Plasmodium falciparum
Blood smear of Plasmodium falciparum
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukarya
Kingdom:	Chromalveolata
Phylum:	Apicomplexa
Class:	Aconoidasida
Order:	Haemosporida
Family:	Plasmodiidae
Genus:	Plasmodium
Binomial name
Plasmodium falciparum

There are about 200 species in the genus Plasmodium, divided into 15 sub-genera. The parasites are partners in a complex co-evolution with mosquitos and land vertebrate species.^[1]