Which disease is transmitted by a mosquito bite and multiplies in blood cells?

Malaria is transmitted by the bite of infected Anopheles mosquitoes, and the causative agents are protozoan parasites belonging to the genus Plasmodium. Once the mosquito injects the parasites into the bloodstream through its saliva, they travel to the liver and then re-enter the bloodstream, where they specifically invade red blood cells. Within these blood cells, the malaria parasites multiply asexually, leading to the characteristic symptoms of the disease, such as fever, chills, and anemia. This unique cycle of replication within red blood cells is a defining feature of malaria that differentiates it from the other diseases listed.

While diseases like dengue, Zika, and yellow fever are also transmitted by mosquito bites, they involve different pathogens and do not replicate specifically within blood cells. Instead, they primarily affect other types of cells or systems within the body, such as endothelial cells or various immune responses. This distinction is crucial in understanding the unique pathology and transmission dynamics of malaria as opposed to the other mosquito-borne diseases.