Final answer:
The most lethal form of malaria is caused by P. falciparum, a species of the Plasmodium genus. This species accounts for the majority of malaria cases and fatalities, particularly in tropical regions, due to its destructive action on red blood cells, leading to severe anemia and fever episodes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The most deadly form of malaria is caused by P. falciparum. This particular species is a part of the apicomplexan protist genus Plasmodium, known for causing malaria. These organisms require both a mosquito and a vertebrate to successfully complete their life cycle. In the human host, P. falciparum develops in liver cells and infects red blood cells, causing massive damage with each growth cycle. This species accounts for approximately 50 percent of all malaria cases and is the predominant cause of disease-related fatalities in tropical regions.
P. falciparum has the capability to infect and destroy more than half of a person's circulating blood cells, which results in severe anemia. As the parasite destroys the blood cells, waste products are released eliciting a major inflammatory response from the host immune system leading to fever episodes often resulting in delirium. This species is primarily transmitted to humans by the Anopheles gambiae mosquito, making controlling exposure to this aggressive mosquito species crucial in malaria prevention.
Learn more about P. falciparum