Malaria is a very ancient infectious disease.
Studies show that malaria parasites appeared as early as 20,000 years ago. However, the time humans truly began contracting malaria was approximately 4,000 years ago in Africa.
The parasites responsible for transmitting it evolved from single-celled organisms. Through a prolonged process of evolution, these parasites infected reptiles, birds, and mammals, subsequently moving on to primates, and later spreading to humans via primates.
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