Plasmodium
Plasmodium
Taxonomy
- Kingdom Protozoa
- Phylum Apicomplexa
- Class Aconoidasida
- Order Piroplasmorida
- Family Plasmodiidae
Final host
Human and other primates, birds and reptiles (vertebrate host)
Morphology
Meronts may be round or oval and contain between eight and 36 merozoites according to species Young trophozoites contain a central vacuole which displaces the nucleus and cytoplasm of the parasite to the periphery of the erythrocyte ('signet ring' forms) Mature trophozoites are ameboid and contain a reduced vacuole and pigment granules in the cytoplasm Gamonts are ovoid and have a nucleus that may be either eccentric and compact (in macrogamonts) or central and diffuse (in microgamonts)
Cycle
Indirect (vectorial transmission) Vectors: Culicidae mosquitoes (Culex, Aedes, Anopheles)
Location
Hepatocites and erythrocites
Feeding
Holozoic (micropores)
Diagnostic
Gamonts within erythrocites
Transmission
Sporozoites
