Identify the correct facts about life cycle of Plasmodium.
(A) Parasite reproduces asexually in liver cells
(B) Sexual stages develop in liver cells
(C) Parasite reproduces asexually in red blood cells
(D) Fertilization and development take place in mosquito’s gut
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A), (C) and (D) only
Plasmodium, the malarial parasite, needs two hosts to complete its life cycle: human and the female Anopheles mosquito. The asexual stages occur in the human, and fertilisation occurs in the mosquito.
(A) Parasite reproduces asexually in liver cells — Correct. The sporozoites reach the liver through the blood. They multiply asexually in the liver cells, burst them and are released into the blood.
(B) Sexual stages develop in liver cells — Incorrect. The sexual stages, the male and female gametocytes, develop in the red blood cells, not in the liver cells.
(C) Parasite reproduces asexually in red blood cells — Correct. The parasites multiply inside the RBCs and burst them. This releases a toxin, haemozoin, which causes chill and high fever every three to four days.
(D) Fertilization and development take place in mosquito’s gut — Correct. The mosquito takes up gametocytes with its blood meal. Fertilisation and development happen in its gut, and the sporozoites formed then move to its salivary glands.
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