(a) Explain the Life cycle of Plasmodium starting from its entry in the body of female Anopheles till the completion of its life cycle in humans.
(b) Explain the cause of periodic recurrence of chill and high fever during malarial attack in humans.
Answer:
(a) When a female Anopheles mosquito bites an infected person, the parasites enter the mosquito’s body as gametocytes. It leads to fertilization and development in the gut of the mosquito and undergoes further development to form sporozoites that are stored in salivary glands until their transfer to human body. In the human body – the sporozoites reach the liver and reproduce asexually, bursting the cells and releasing them into the RBCs as gametocytes.
(Labeled diagram explaining the mentioned stages can also be considered)
(b) The rupture of RBCs releases a toxic substance called haemozoin, which is responsible for the chill and high fever.
