There are 4 types of plasmodiums (plasmodii for the grammatically-anal) that cause Malaria in humans - Pl Malariae, Pl Vivax, Pl Ovale, and Pl Falciparum. Inside their human hosts, these microscopical creatures multiplicate and develop into "adult" forms. Invasion, in its truest sense, is the plasmodii's mode of survival and preservation of their kind.
While all four cause considerable burden to sufferers, Pl Malariae and Pl Falciparum represent the two extremes of the disease severity spectrum.
Pl Falciparum is not one to be taken lightly. Upon invasion, they aggressively attack their human hosts, causing a myriad of severe illnesses. More often than not, the serious course of attack is exacerbated by potentially fatal complications. It is not rare for a non-immune human host to die of cerebral complications or coma within hours to days.
The oldest species of all four, Pl Malariae, on the other hand, often runs a mild course in humans, but usually for longer durations. The parasites may persist in the blood of their human host for years, sometimes without causing symptoms. Perhaps in a microscopical world we will never get to know, the Pl Falciparums, like the hot-headed adrenaline-pumped kids they are, are having a blast of a time wrecking and ravaging their hosts, laughing at the mild-mannered, boring Pl Malariae.
But you see, the Pl Malariae will be the ones still alive when the Falciparums die along with the hosts they tormented to death. Time has definitely taught these microscopical creatures something.
Something that many of us high and mighty humans have not yet learnt or understood.
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