Malaria. Coloured scanning electron micrograph (SEM) of a human red blood cell infected with malarial parasites (Plasmodium sp.). Due to the infection the blood cell (at centre) is misshapen but still has its concave dimple at lower centre. At top, merozoites of the malaria parasite are bursting out of the blood cell to reinfect other blood cells. These single-celled merozoites are a stage in the complex life-cycle of this parasite. Malaria is spread to humans by tropical species of mosquito (Anopheles sp.). Once in the human body, the plasmodia spread to the liver and multiply in blood cells, causing bouts of fever that can be fatal. Magnification: x9850 at 6x7cm size. Magnification: x32,400 at 8x10 inch size.