Skip to content
Chapter 229 of 2363 min read

Common diseases: pathogens and life cycles

Why this is asked: By parasitology's own definition, the mosquito, not the human, is Plasmodium's definitive host, because the sexual stage of the parasite's life cycle happens inside the mosquito; the human is only the intermediate host, where the asexual cycle runs. The recurring chills and high fever are timed to the synchronised rupture of infected RBCs releasing merozoites and toxic haemozoin — which is also why the fever's periodicity tracks the parasite's own reproductive cycle inside blood cells.

This chapter is part of a paid pack

A sample of the book is free to read — the rest, including this chapter, unlocks with full access.

See pricing

Test yourself

Open this in the full syllabus view · Zoology

ShareWhatsAppTelegram