Name the pathogen that cause malaria in man .which is the pathogen that
cause fatal malaria? Explain the life cycle of malaria pathogen .

Dear student,

Malaria is caused by Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, and P. malariae . Plasmodium falciparum caused malaria if not treated timely can be fatal.

Life cycle of Plasmodium is as follows -

Plasmodium requires two hosts to complete its life cycle-  female Anopheles mosquito and human host

 * When female Anopheles mosquito bites a healthy human being, it releases Plasmodium, which lives in its body as sporozoite (infectious form).  
* The parasites multiply (asexual reproduction) in the liver cells and finally burst the liver cells. Sporozoites are released in blood.
* Parasites enter RBCs and further multiply (asexual reproduction) here and finally burst RBCs also.  
* Bursting of RBCs is accompanied by release of a toxic substance called haemozoin (associated with fever and chills).  
* In the RBCs, only sporozoites change into gametocytes (sexual stage). Gametocytes multiply.
* When the diseased person is bitten by a female Anopheles mosquito, gametocytes are introduced into the mosquito.  
* Gametocytes fertilise and develop inside the intestine of mosquito to form sporozoites.  
* Sporozoites are stored in the salivary glands of mosquito and are released into the healthy person who is bitten by this mosquito.

Regards