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Plasmodium is a genus of parasitic protists. Infection by these organisms is known as malaria. The...

Plasmodium is a genus of parasitic protists. Infection by these organisms is known as malaria. The genus Plasmodium was discovered in 1885 by Marchiafava and Celli. Currently over 200 species of this genus are recognized and new species continue to be described. Of the over 200 known species of Plasmodium, at least 10 species infect humans. Other species infect animals, including monkeys, rodents, birds, and reptiles. The parasite always has two hosts in its life cycle: a mosquito vector and a vertebrate host. As of 2006, the genus is in need of reorganization as it has been shown that parasites belonging to the genera Haemoproteus and Hepatocystis appear to be closely related to Plasmodium. It is likely that other species such as Haemoproteus meleagridis will be included in this genus once it is revised. The organism itself was first seen by Laveran on November 6, 1880 at a military hospital in Constantine, Algeria, when he discovered a microgametocyte exflagellating. In 1885, similar organisms were discovered within the blood of birds in Russia. There was brief speculation that birds might be involved in the transmission of malaria; in 1894 Patrick Manson hypothesized that