<P> The food vacuole is the specialized compartment that degrades hemoglobin during the asexual erythrocytic stage of the parasite . It is implied that effective drug treatments can be developed by targeting the proteolytic enzymes of the food vacuole . In a paper published in 1997, Westling et al. focused their attention on the aspartic endopeptidase class of enzymes, simply called plasmepsins . They sought to characterize the specificity for the enzymes cloned from P. vivax and P. malariae . Using substrate specificity studies and inhibitor analysis, it was found that the plasmepsins for P. malariae and P. vivax showed less specificity than that for P. falciparum . Unfortunately, this means that the development of a selective inhibitor for P. malariae may prove more challenging than the development of one for P. falciparum . Another study by Bruce et al. presented evidence that there may be regular genetic exchange within P. malariae populations . Six polymorphic genetic markers from P. malariae were isolated and analyzed in 70 samples of naturally acquired P. malariae infections from different parts of the world . The data showed a high level of multi-genotypic carriage in humans . </P> <P> Both of these experiments illustrate that development of vaccine options will prove challenging, if not impossible . Dr. William Collins doubts that anyone is currently looking for possible vaccines for P. malariae and given the complexity of the parasite it can be inferred why . He states that very few studies are conducted with this parasite, perhaps as a result of its perceived low morbidity and prevalence . Collins cites the great restrictions of studies with chimpanzees and monkeys as a sizeable barrier . Since the Plasmodium brasilianium parasite that infects South American monkeys is thought to be an adapted form of P. malariae, more research with P. brasilianium may hold valuable insight into P. malariae . </P> <P> The continuing work with the plasmepsin associated with P. malariae, plasmepsin 4, by Professor Ben Dunn and his research team from the University of Florida may provide hope for long term malaria control in the near future . </P>

Name the genus of the causative agent of malaria and explain what group it belongs in