Georgia Virtual School (GAVS) Health Exam

Disable ads (and more) with a membership for a one time $2.99 payment

Prepare for the Georgia Virtual School Health Exam. Access a variety of study materials including flashcards and interactive quizzes with detailed hints and explanations for each question. Ace your exam with confidence!

Each practice test/flash card set has 50 randomly selected questions from a bank of over 500. You'll get a new set of questions each time!

Practice this question and more.

The type of pathogen responsible for causing malaria is?

Bacteria
Protozoa
Fungi
Viruses

The correct answer is: Protozoa

Malaria is caused by a specific type of parasite belonging to the genus Plasmodium, which is classified as a protozoan. Protozoa are single-celled organisms that can live and multiply within a host. In the case of malaria, the disease is typically transmitted to humans through the bite of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes, which carry the protozoan forms of the parasite. Understanding the type of pathogen that causes malaria is crucial because it informs treatment approaches. Antimalarial medications are designed to target the life cycle of the protozoan parasites. This distinguishes it sharply from bacterial infections that might require antibiotics or fungal infections that necessitate antifungal treatments. Additionally, recognizing protozoa as the causative agents helps in understanding the environmental and biological factors contributing to the spread of malaria, such as mosquito habitats and life cycles.