Malaria is reported to have trailed from gorillas and the parasite has reportedly spread across through a single gorilla to single man as stated by the researchers.

It was through DNA testing of the droppings of 3,000 apes -- gorillas, chimpanzees and bonobos it was observed that the malaria parasite was identical strains were reported in case of many types of gorillas.

Hahn and associates employed ape droppings in order to keep a track of the origins of the AIDS virus for their study, published in the journal Nature.

Hahn's team experimented for the genetic material of the human immunodeficiency virus for their AIDS studies and walked on the same path to detect DNA from malaria parasites, including the Plasmodium falciparum parasite that is responsible for almost all human attacks.

Earlier it was believed that chimps were responsible for the widespread of disease but, Hahn's data reveals that gorillas, and only gorillas, are affected by a Plasmodium species similar to genetic make-up that attacks humans.

Malaria, which affects 800,000 people a year on average as per the World Health Organization reports having no cure at the moment and needs to be prevented from spreading.

Dr. Larry Slutsker, who heads the malaria program at the U. S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said, "If we were trying to eradicate, meaning we were trying to rid the planet of every last parasite and there was a reservoir in western gorillas, that would have implications for eradication. I don't think we are there, obviously."