Question

Describe the life cycle of Plasmodium vivax in mosquito.

Answer 1

The life cycle of Plasmodium vivax is digenetic.
1. Primary host or definitive host: The primary host is a Female Anopheles mosquito. The organism containing the sexual phase of the parasite is called the definitive host.

2. Secondary host or intermediate host: The human is called as the secondary host. Human contains the asexual phase of the parasite. It develops symptoms due to the presence of parasite.

Life cycle of Plasmodium vivax is divided into two types, namely:

1. Asexual life cycle or schizogony in man
2. Sexual life cycle or sporogony in female Anopheles mosquito

Asexual phase involved the following steps:

1. Pre-erythrocytic schizogony
2. Exo-erythrocytic cycle
3. Erythrocytic cycle
4. Post-erythrocytic cycle
5. Formation of gametocytes

Sexual phase contains the following steps:

1. Formation of gametes

2. Fertilization

3. Formation of ookinete

4. Formation of oocytes

5. Sporogeny