Wata kwayar halitta mai suna Plasmodium ita ce ke haddasa cutar Maleriya. Kwayar cutar Plasmodium tana shiga jikin mutum ta hanyar cizon macen sauro jinsin Anopheles, wadanda aka fi sani da sunan “Masu Yada Maleriya” wadanda kuma suka fi cizon mutane cikin dare, watau daga faduwar rana zuwa asubahi.
Akwai jinsuna guda hudu na kwayar halittar cutar Maleriya dake iya kama dan Adama: Plasmodium Falciparum; Plasmodium Vivax; Plasmodium Malariae; da kuma Plasmodium Ovale.
Plasmodium Falciparum da Plasmodium Vivax su ne suka fi yawa. Plasmodium Falciparum kuma ita ce wadda ta fi yin kisa.
A cikin ‘yan shekarun nan, an samu jinsin wata kwayar halittar cutar Maleriya ta birai mai suna Plasmodium Knowlesi, wadda ake samu cikin wasu dazuzzuka na yankin kudu maso gabashin Asiya, wadda ta shiga jikin mutane ta kama su.
