Form | Host(s) | Human cell(s) infected | Properties |
Gametocyte | Human and mosquito | RBCs | - Sexual stage
- Male – Microgametocyte
- Female – Macrogametocyte
|
Hypnozoite | Human | Liver | - Dormant stage
- Only seen with P. vivax and P. ovale
|
Merozoite | | Liver and RBCs | - Formed by asexual development inside the schizont
- Infect RBCs
|
Schizont | Human | Liver and RBCs | - Contains many merozoites
- Once mature, rupture to release merozoites
|
Sporozoite | Human and mosquito | Liver | - Produced in mosquito
- Migrate to mosquito salivary glands
- Humans are inoculated when mosquito takes a blood meal
- Infect hepatocytes
|
Trophozoite (early trophozoites are also called "ring" or "ring-stage") | Human | RBCs | - Formed from merozoites inside RBCs
- Develop into schizonts
|