Plasmodium falciparum is the malarial parasite.
Life cycle of Plasmodium
• Plasmodium requires two hosts to complete its life cycle—human and mosquito.
• The infected female Anopheles mosquito transfers the infectious form of Plasmodium, i.e., sporozoites to the human body by biting.
• The sporozoites reach the liver cells, where they multiply.
• This is followed by their attack on red blood cells resulting in their rupture.
• The ruptured RBCs release a toxin called haemozoin, which is responsible for high recurring fever, chills and shivering.
• These parasites enter the female Anopheles mosquitoes when they bite an infected person.
• In the body of mosquitoes, they fertilise and multiply in the stomach wall.
• Sporozoites are now stored in the salivary gland of mosquito till it is again transferred to human body by a mosquito bite. After entering the human body, all the events are repeated.
