Plasmodium spp.

Parasitology Dept.

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Plasmodiums
Terminology

• Phylum Apicomplexa
• Subphylum Sporozoa
• Class Telosporea
• Subclass Hæmosporina
• Family Plasmodiidæ
• Vectored primarily by female Anopheles
mosquito
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Plasmodiums
Distribution

• Causes malaria disease

• Four species of the genus Plasmodium: P. vivax, P.
ovale, P. malariae, and P. falciparum
• P. vivax accounts for the vast majority of malarial
infection, because o/t wide distribution o/t
parasite
P. vivax is the only one that extends through
tropical, subtropical, and temperate regions

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Plasmodiums
Distribution

• P. falciparum, which causes falciparum

malaria, is confined to the tropics and
subtropics, and is probably the most lethal
form of malaria
• Pockets of P. malariae infection are distributed
throughout the tropics and subtropics
• P. ovale is primarily confined to tropical West
Africa, South America, and Asia
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Plasmodiums
Life cycle

• Complex life cycle, involving both sexual

and asexual phases
• Asexual phase, called schizogony, occurs in
the vertebrate (which is intermediate host)
• Sexual phase, called sporogony, occurs in
the insect, the definitive host

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Life Cycle
Exoerytrocytic Cycle in Man

• Anopheline mosquito injects infective

sporozoites into man
• Migrate to liver parenchyma where schizogony
begins (called exoerythrocytic/
preerythrocytic schizogony), produces
exoerythrocytic schizonts  exoerythrocytic
merozoits  invade RBC
• In P. vivax and P. ovale, dormant
exoerythrocytic schizonts (hipnozoits) occurs
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Life Cycle
Erythrocytic Cycle in Man

• When exoerythrocytic merozoits invade RBC,

erytrocytic cycle begins
• Merozoits  ring form trophozoits  mature
trophozoits  schizonts  erythrocytic
schozogony  (erythrocytic) merozoits 
gametocytogenesis  gametocytes
(macrogametocytes  &
microgametocytes)

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Life Cycle
Sexual Phase in Mosquito

• After a mosquito has ingested gametocytes,

fertilization occurs  zygotes  ookinete
 oocyst  bursts out sporozoits  reach
salivary glands
• When the mosquito injects saliva while
obtaining a blood meal, it also injects
sporozoits into human host
• Only female Anopheles take blood meals

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Anopheles
Vector of Plasmodiums

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Blood Smear
Thick and thin blood smear

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Plasmodium vivax

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Plasmodium vivax
General

• Synonims: Haemamoeba vivax,

Plasmodium malariae tertiana
• Prepatent period: 8-17 days (depends on
the number of inoculated sporozoits and
strain), usually 14 days
• Prepatent period is also called biological
incubation period: the period required
since sporozoits enter a human until it is
demonstrated in the blood stream
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Plasmodium vivax
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• The earliest
erythrocytic trophozoit
(ring form): blue-
stained ring of
cytoplasm with a red
chromatin dot

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Plasmodium vivax
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• Mature ring form: the

plasmodium enlarge,
the rig form becomes
irregular and larger,
Schufner’s dots
sometimes appear

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Plasmodium vivax
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• Trophozoit:
amoeboid cytoplasm

• Mature trophozoit:
the chromatin in
process of division

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Plasmodium vivax
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• Schizont: progressive
steps in division
(presegmenting)

• Mature schizont: consist

of 8-24 merozoits,
usually 12-18

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Plasmodium vivax
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• Macrogametocyte: female gametocyte,

stains deep blue, smaller nucleus,
chromatin is arranged in a compact
mass near the periphery
• Microgametocyte: male gametocyte,
stains pale blue, larger nucleus, the
chromatin is irregularly situated within
the cytoplasm
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Plasmodium vivax
Morphology of all stadiums

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Plasmodium ovale

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Plasmodium ovale
General

• Synonims: Plasmodium vivax

minutum

• Prepatent period: minimal 8 days,

average 14-16 days

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Plasmodium ovale
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• Ring form: resembles to that of P. vivax,

chromatin dot is larger
• Trophozoit: non-amoeboid, infected RBC
is oval in shape with fimbriation

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Plasmodium ovale
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• Mature schizont:
contains 6-12
merozoits, usually 8

• Gametocyte: similar to
P. vivax

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Plasmodium ovale
Morphology of all stadiums

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Plasmodium malariae

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Plasmodium malariae
General

• Synonims: Plasmodium malariae

quartana, Plasmodium quartana

• Prepatent period: minimal 14 days,

average 28-37 days

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Plasmodium malariae
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• Ring form: compact

cytoplasm
• Mature trophozoit: band
form
• Schizont: contains 6-12
merozoits, usually 8,
arranged in a rossette
formation
• Gametocyte: resembles to
those of P. vivax 27
Plasmodium malariae
Morphology of all stadiums

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Plasmodium falciparum

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Plasmodium falciparum
General

• Synonims: Plasmodium tropica

• Prepatent period: minimal 5 days,

average 8-12 days

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Plasmodium falciparum
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• Ring form: vary in

shape; double
chromatin, double
infection, accole

• Trophozoit: rare in
peripheral blood
after half grown
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Plasmodium falciparum
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• Schizont: consist of 8-26 merozoits,

usually 8-18, rare in peripheral blood

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Plasmodium falciparum
Morphology in Stained Preparation

• Microgametocyte: sausage shape,

chromatin diffuse, large nucleus
• Macrogametocyte: longer and more
slender, central chromatin, pigment and
nucleus more compact
 

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Plasmodium falciparum
Morphology in Stained Preparation


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Plasmodium falciparum
Morphology of all stadiums

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Malaria
References

• Heelan, J. S., Ingersoll, F. W.: Blood and Tissue

Sporozoa in Essentials of Human Parasitology,
Delmar Thomson Learning, US, 2002
• Beaver, P. C., Jung, R. C., Cupp, E. W.: Malaria
Parasites and Piroplasm in Clinical Parasitology,
9th ed., Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, 1984
• Peters, W., Pasvol, G.: Arthropod-borne Infections
in Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, 5th ed.,
Mosby, London, 2001
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Thank You

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