Question

Malaria is caused by pathogenic ______.

• A. bacteria
• B. fungi
• C. protozoa
• D. viruses

Hint:

Identify which broad pathogen category the genus Plasmodium, the malaria parasite, belongs to.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Malaria is a classic vector-borne disease and this question tests basic knowledge of its causative agent, which is important in environmental and public health engineering.
Step 1: Identify the disease. Malaria is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
Step 2: Identify the pathogen type. The actual disease-causing organism injected during the mosquito bite belongs to the genus Plasmodium, which is a single-celled, motile parasite. Single-celled parasitic organisms of this kind are classified as protozoa.
Step 3: Rule out the other options. Bacteria cause diseases such as cholera and typhoid, fungi cause diseases such as candidiasis and ringworm, and viruses cause diseases such as dengue and hepatitis; none of these are the causative agents of malaria.
Step 4: Conclude. Since Plasmodium is a protozoan parasite, the pathogen category responsible for malaria is protozoa, option (C).