Which Plasmodium species is known for causing malaria every 48 hours?

Plasmodium vivax is known for causing malaria that typically presents with fever spikes every 48 hours, a pattern referred to as tertian malaria. This regular cycle is due to the life cycle of the parasite, where the merozoites released from the liver into the bloodstream cause periodic bouts of fever as they invade red blood cells. In the case of P. vivax, the 48-hour cycle aligns with its replication rate in the blood.

Other species of Plasmodium have different fever patterns; for instance, Plasmodium malariae usually causes fever every 72 hours, P. falciparum can cause irregular fever patterns with complications due to its severity, and Plasmodium knowlesi, which primarily affects macaques, can also result in daily fever but is less common in human infections. Thus, the identification of P. vivax corresponding to a 48-hour fever cycle is critical in understanding malaria's symptoms and diagnosing the specific species responsible for the infection.