malaria

ma·lar·ia

noun \mə-ˈler-ē-ə\

Definition of MALARIA

1

: an acute or chronic disease caused by the presence of sporozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium in the red blood cells, transmitted from an infected to an uninfected individual by the bite of anopheline mosquitoes, and characterized by periodic attacks of chills and fever that coincide with mass destruction of blood cells and the release of toxic substances by the parasite at the end of each reproductive cycle <malaria remains the greatest single cause of debilitation and death throughout the world—Journal of the American Medical Association>—see falciparum malaria, vivax malaria

2

: any of various diseases of birds and mammals that are more or less similar to malaria of human beings and are caused by blood protozoans