It is an intracellular pathogenic parasite causing different kinds of malaria in man. It has two hosts:
(a) man or any other vertebrate i.e., mammals, birds and reptiles which are primary or definitive or main hosts
(b) female anopheles, or other blood sucking insects which are secondary or intermediate hosts.
Malarial parasites are transmitted to man by adult female anopheles mosquitoes. Male mosquitoes have no part to play in the transmission of the disease as they do not feed on blood. The life history is completed in two hosts : asexual in man and sexual in female anopheles. The common species of Anopheles, which cause malaria in India, are A. stephensi, A maculates, A. fluvialitis and A. culcifacies. They act as vectors as they transmit malaria to one another. There is alternation of asexual and sexual life-cycles. This type of reproduction is called cyclic heterogenesis.
(a) man or any other vertebrate i.e., mammals, birds and reptiles which are primary or definitive or main hosts
(b) female anopheles, or other blood sucking insects which are secondary or intermediate hosts.
Malarial parasites are transmitted to man by adult female anopheles mosquitoes. Male mosquitoes have no part to play in the transmission of the disease as they do not feed on blood. The life history is completed in two hosts : asexual in man and sexual in female anopheles. The common species of Anopheles, which cause malaria in India, are A. stephensi, A maculates, A. fluvialitis and A. culcifacies. They act as vectors as they transmit malaria to one another. There is alternation of asexual and sexual life-cycles. This type of reproduction is called cyclic heterogenesis.
