The parasite resides in the liver of the human body. The sporozoites enter the human body when a malaria-carrying mosquito bites that human, and they enter the liver for reproduction and development into merozoites. When they are mature they break out of the liver and invade red blood cells, causing the symptoms of the malaria illness. Some of those merozoites also reproduce within the red blood cells and form gametocytes; which are then picked up by another mosquito biting the human. The mosquito hosts the plasmodium for another reproductive step (there are two stages) until she is ready to infect another human.
The plasmodium can hide in the liver without causing symptoms for the human for up to 3 years, although 1 year is the norm. The human does not develop symptoms of illness until they break out and invade red blood cells.
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The parasite resides in the liver of the human body. The sporozoites enter the human body when a malaria-carrying mosquito bites that human, and they enter the liver for reproduction and development into merozoites. When they are mature they break out of the liver and invade red blood cells, causing the symptoms of the malaria illness. Some of those merozoites also reproduce within the red blood cells and form gametocytes; which are then picked up by another mosquito biting the human. The mosquito hosts the plasmodium for another reproductive step (there are two stages) until she is ready to infect another human.
The plasmodium can hide in the liver without causing symptoms for the human for up to 3 years, although 1 year is the norm. The human does not develop symptoms of illness until they break out and invade red blood cells.