Question

Which one of the following is not a site of action in a human body for the malarial parasite Plasmodium?

• A. Liver
• B. Kidney
• C. Red blood cell
• D. Brain

Answer 1

Answer: (D)

Brain

The malarial Plasmodium parasite has two host life cycle, first in a vector (mosquito) and other in a human host. The cycle begins when a female mosquito bites a human. The parasite is transferred through the mosquito saliva to the human host. After infecting, the parasites in sporozoites form travel through the bloodstream to the liver and invade liver cells. Later, the sporozoites grow, divide and produce thousands of merozoites per liver cell. The merozoites leaves the liver and reenter the blood stream where they invade red blood cells to feed on hemoglobin. The merozoites multiply inside the red blood cells. The red blood cells eventually break open and merozoites affect more red blood cells. In severe cases, the infected blood travels to the kideny and affect kidneys and may result in renal failure.

Thus, the correct answer is 'Brain.'