This animation shows how the malaria parasite develops inside a human and eventually causes disease.

When a malaria-carrying mosquito bites a human host, it transfers malaria parasites to the human through infected saliva. The animation illustrates what happens to the malaria parasites once they enter a human’s bloodstream. The parasites move to human’s liver cells, where they quickly multiply. They are later released back into the bloodstream, where they infect and destroy red blood cells.

Depending on students’ background, it may be helpful to pause the animation at various points to discuss different steps in the life cycle of the malaria parasite.