Malaria Parasites (IMAGE) Penn State Caption Malaria parasites replicate into many daughter cells inside red blood cells. The red blood cells eventually burst (cell on the left), allowing the parasites to infect new red blood cells. In hosts with reduced calorie intake, fewer daughter cells are produced per round of replication, decreasing the severity of the infection and potentially allowing the host to survive longer. Credit Maria Mota Laboratory, iMM Lisboa Usage Restrictions The image credit must be published along with the image. License Licensed content Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert system.