Malaria Life Cycle

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1.2 Pathogenesis of malaria parasite 1.2.1 Life Cycle of Malaria Parasite The life cycle of malaria causing parasite, Plasmodium completes in two stages and hence requires two different host namely Mosquito and Human host. In human host, it begins with bite of the female Anopheles mosquito during uptake of blood-meal. Mosquito injects sporozoite forms of the parasite into the dermis of human skin. The next stage in malaria life cycle is the one of asexual reproduction that is divided into different phases: the pre-erythrocytic (exoerythrocytic) and the erythrocytic phase. Within only 30-60 minutes after the parasites inoculation, these sporozoites slowly surpass the dermis barrier to reach in blood stream and then via bloodstream, reach to…show more content…
Each schizont can form thousands of merozoites (exoerythrocytic schizogony), that are released into the blood stream. Each mature schizont gives birth to new generation of merozoites. These Merozoites invade red blood cells and begin erythrocytic phase of life cycle. Here they develop into trophozoites and erythrocytic schizont (initially immature and then mature schizont). Here they also develop into male and female gametocytes during erythrocytic stage. These gametocytes, formed during the asexual blood stage are taken up by a mosquito during feeding and enters into the gut where their maturation into male and female gametes occurs. These gametes fertilize to make zygote which develops to an ookinete and an oocyst and finally sporozoites that migrate to the salivary…show more content…
Merozoites are small, ellipsoid bodies (1.3um length and .9um width) with an epical prominance at one end (Figure.1.5). They are comprised of all the organelles necessary for their survival, escape from host and entry into an uninfected erythrocyes. Basically, it has a dstinct structure comprising of basal nucleus, mitochondria, a conserved apicoplast and a comlex of secretory vesicles at the apical end (Bannister and Mitchell 2003; Bannister et al. 1975; Bannister and Dluzewski 1990; Cowman et al. 2012). Merozites surface is covered with an 15nm thick coat which is enriched with proteins called as merozoite surface proteins (MSPs)(Heidrich et al. 1986). Inside the coat, there exists plasma membrane and two layers of inner membrane compex
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