Where can sporozoites of the malarial parasite be found?
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Saliva of an infected female Anopheles mosquito
Sporozoites of the malarial parasite, Plasmodium, can be found in the saliva of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.
When a female Anopheles mosquito bites an infected person, it ingests gametocytes (the sexual stage of the parasite). Inside the mosquito, these gametocytes develop into sporozoites. After maturing, the sporozoites travel to the salivary glands of the mosquito. During the mosquito's next blood meal, the sporozoites are injected into a new host through its saliva, initiating the infection in humans.
The correct answer is: Saliva of an infected female Anopheles mosquito.