Malaria is spread by mosquitos which carry the Plasmodium protist. These are often found in areas with higher temperatures like Africa, Asia, and South and Central America, but not the UK. Mosquitos suck blood containing the protists from an infected person. They pass the protist, to other people they suck blood from.

Which diseases are caused by a protist?

For example, protist parasites include the causative agents of malaria, African sleeping sickness, amoebic encephalitis, and waterborne gastroenteritis in humans.

How do protists cause harm?

Some severe diseases of humans are caused by protists, primarily blood parasites. Malaria, trypanosomiasis (e.g., African sleeping sickness), leishmaniasis, toxoplasmosis, and amoebic dysentery are debilitating or fatal afflictions.