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Malaria Parasite Life Cycle Explained

The malaria parasite life cycle involves two hosts. It begins when an infected mosquito inoculates sporozoites into a human host, which then infect the liver cells. The parasites undergo asexual reproduction in the liver and blood, infecting red blood cells. Some parasites differentiate into male and female gametocytes. When a mosquito bites an infected human, it ingests the gametocytes, where sexual reproduction occurs leading to sporozoites that travel to the mosquito's salivary glands, allowing transmission back to a new human host to continue the cycle.

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120 views1 page

Malaria Parasite Life Cycle Explained

The malaria parasite life cycle involves two hosts. It begins when an infected mosquito inoculates sporozoites into a human host, which then infect the liver cells. The parasites undergo asexual reproduction in the liver and blood, infecting red blood cells. Some parasites differentiate into male and female gametocytes. When a mosquito bites an infected human, it ingests the gametocytes, where sexual reproduction occurs leading to sporozoites that travel to the mosquito's salivary glands, allowing transmission back to a new human host to continue the cycle.

Uploaded by

joni SKM
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Life Cycle:

The malaria parasite life cycle involves two hosts. During a blood meal, a malaria-infected
female Anopheles mosquito inoculates sporozoites into the human host . Sporozoites
infect liver cells and mature into schizonts , which rupture and release merozoites .
(Of note, in P. vivax and P. ovale a dormant stage [hypnozoites] can persist in the liver and
cause relapses by invading the bloodstream weeks, or even years later.) After this initial
replication in the liver (exo-erythrocytic schizogony ), the parasites undergo asexual
multiplication in the erythrocytes (erythrocytic schizogony ). Merozoites infect red blood
cells . The ring stage trophozoites mature into schizonts, which rupture releasing
merozoites . Some parasites differentiate into sexual erythrocytic stages (gametocytes)
. Blood stage parasites are responsible for the clinical manifestations of the disease.
The gametocytes, male (microgametocytes) and female (macrogametocytes), are ingested
by an Anopheles mosquito during a blood meal . The parasites multiplication in the
mosquito is known as the sporogonic cycle . While in the mosquito's stomach, the
microgametes penetrate the macrogametes generating zygotes . The zygotes in turn
become motile and elongated (ookinetes) which invade the midgut wall of the mosquito
where they develop into oocysts . The oocysts grow, rupture, and release sporozoites ,
which make their way to the mosquito's salivary glands. Inoculation of the sporozoites into
a new human host perpetuates the malaria life cycle .

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