Question

Arrange the following in order of their appearance in the Plasmodium life cycle and choose the correct option.

• A. Schizonts, Trophozoites, Merozoites, Gametocytes, Sporozoites
• B. Merozoites, Schizonts, Trophozoites, Gametocytes, Sporozoites
• C. Merozoites, Gametocytes, Sporozoites, Schizonts, Trophozoites
• D. Sporozoites, Merozoites, Trophozoites, Schizonts, Gametocytes

Answer 1

The correct option is D Sporozoites, Merozoites, Trophozoites, Schizonts, Gametocytes

The infectious form injected by the mosquito is the sporozoite. Next the sporozoites grow and multiply, and form haploid merozoites. This is the stage invading the erythrocytes. In the erythrocytes, trophozoites are formed. The trophozoite develops into a schizont which is a mother cell. The schizonts rupture, releasing newly formed merozoites that then re-invade other red blood cells. Some of these merozoite-infected blood cells leave the cycle of asexual replication, and instead, the merozoites in these cells develop into sexual forms of the parasite, called male and female gametocytes.