Question

During which phase of its life cycle does the Plasmodium parasite enter the human body when a female Anopheles mosquito bites a human?

• A. Sporozoite phase
• B. Merozoite phase
• C. Gametocyte phase
• D. Trophozoite phase

Hint:

The sporozoite stage of Plasmodium is transmitted to humans during the mosquito bite. This is the infective stage responsible for initiating the malarial infection.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the life cycle of Plasmodium.

When a female Anopheles mosquito bites a human, it injects the sporozoites into the bloodstream. Sporozoites are the infective stage of the Plasmodium parasite.

Step 2: Role of sporozoites.

The sporozoites travel to the liver cells, where they multiply asexually and form merozoites. This marks the beginning of the parasite's life cycle within the human host.

\[ \text{Sporozoite} \xrightarrow{\text{Liver}} \text{Merozoite (blood stage)} \]

Step 3: Key Point.

The sporozoite phase is the entry stage of the parasite into the human body, making it the correct answer.