Does malaria infects red blood cells?

Yes, malaria infects red blood cells.

Malaria is a disease caused by a parasite called Plasmodium. The parasite is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito. After the mosquito bites a human, the Plasmodium parasite enters the bloodstream and travels to the liver. In the liver, the parasite multiplies and then infects red blood cells.

Inside the red blood cells, the parasite continues to multiply and destroys the red blood cells. This can lead to anemia, which is a condition in which the blood does not have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen to the body's tissues. Anemia can cause symptoms such as fatigue, weakness, pale skin, and shortness of breath.

Malaria can also cause other symptoms, such as fever, chills, sweating, headache, and muscle aches. In severe cases, malaria can lead to kidney failure, respiratory failure, and death.