The microscopic discovery of the Plasmodial protozoal parasite responsible for the signs and symptoms of malaria has been attributed to Dr. Alphonse Laveran, a French physician working in Algeria. His discovery was made in 1880 from astute microscopic observations of pigment-containing protozoa in fresh blood without the assistance of special stains.1 The first taxonomic description of the pathogen responsible for, what has been for a long time incorrectly called ‘benign tertian malaria’, has been attributed to Grassi and Feletti.2 The parasite was initially termed Haemamoeba vivax, but the nomenclature was later revised to Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax). P. vivax is one of five plasmodial species responsible for human malaria.