the organism that causes malaria is
Causes of malaria. Malaria is caused by the plasmodium parasite. The parasite can be spread to humans through the bites of infected mosquitoes. There are many different types of plasmodium parasite, but only five types cause malaria in humans. These are: 1  Plasmodium falciparum â mainly found in Africa, it is the most common type of malaria parasite and is responsible for most malaria deaths worldwide. 2  Plasmodium vivax â mainly found in Asia and South America.