Parasitic life cycle Flashcards
Some parasites only require one host to complete their life cycle
Some require more than one host to complete their lifecycle.
A definitive host
A definitive host is the organism on or in which the parasite reaches sexual maturity.
Intermediate host
An intermediate host may also be required for the parasite to complete its lifecycle
What is a vector?
A vector plays an active role in the transmission of the parasite and may also be a host.
What causes the human disease malaria?
Type of protozoan, Plasmodium
How is malaria spread
Female mosquito
1st stage of Plasmodium
An infected mosquito, acting as a vector, bites a human
2nd stage of plasmodium (after mosquito bites human)
Plasmodium enters the blood stream
3rd stage of plasmodium
after plasmodium enter
Asexual reproduction occurs in the liver and then in the red blood cells
4th stage of plasmodium
after asexual reproduction
When the red blood cells burst gametocytes are released into the bloodstream.
5th stage of plasmodium
after red blood cells burst
Another mosquito bites an infected human and the gametocytes enter the mosquito , maturing into male and female gametes, allowing sexual reproduction to now occur.
6th stage of plasmodium
after maturing
The mosquito can then infect another human host.
