Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran discovered that malaria is caused by a parasite.
Laveran, a French army doctor, made this groundbreaking discovery in 1880 while working in Algeria. He observed parasites within the red blood cells of patients suffering from malaria. This marked a significant shift in understanding malaria, moving it away from the prevailing theory of it being caused by "bad air" or miasma.
Here's a summary of Laveran's key contribution:
- Discovery: Laveran identified the parasitic protozoan responsible for causing malaria.
- Significance: This discovery established malaria as an infectious disease caused by a specific pathogen, paving the way for further research into its transmission and treatment.
While Laveran identified the parasite, it's important to note that:
- The mosquito's role in transmitting the parasite was discovered later by Sir Ronald Ross.
- The specific species of Plasmodium responsible for different types of malaria were identified over time through the work of numerous researchers.
Therefore, while many scientists contributed to our understanding of malaria, Charles Louis Alphonse Laveran is credited with the initial and crucial discovery of the parasitic cause.
