Plasmodium Falciparum vs Plasmodium Vivax
When the protozoans are considered, it should essentially be stated thatPlasmodium vivaxandPlasmodium falciparumare problematic disease-causing parasites of humans. The two protozoans are well known for their notoriety about the danger that they can cause to humans. However, there are some important differences between Plasmodium falciparum and vivax, especially the severity of the caused disease. The severity could be well understood, when the lifecycles of the two species are studied.
Plasmodium Falciparum
Plasmodium falciparum是原生动物寄生虫导致的恶性form of the malaria disease. They easily transmit into the bloodstream of humans with the bites ofAnophelesmosquitoes. The infective stage ofP. falciparumis known as sporozoites. After the sporozoites being entered into the blood through veins, they travel to the liver and start multiplying asexually. After the multiplication, known as merozoites, they travel into the bloodstream and invade the Red Blood cells (RBC). With the invasion, merozoites are further multiplied to increase their number, which causes RBCs to rupture. This situation leads to show some symptoms such as fever and chills due to the repeated rupturing of RBCs. As of this stage, the bloodstream is full of infected erythrocytes and merozoites. After that, merozoites are divided into male and female forms in addition to schizonts. The male and female forms (gametocytes) are supposed to be taken by femaleAnophelesmosquitoes with a bite on the human. At the mosquito gut, each male gametocyte produces eight flagellated microgametes, which fertilize the female macrogametes to produce ookinete. The ookinete become oocysts, which are ruptured to produce sporozoites, and migrate to the salivary glands. This fascinating lifecycle describes their ability to destruct the blood cells of the humans, which is one of the main body systems to sustain life.
Plasmodium Vivax
Plasmodium vivaxis a parasitic species that causes benign malaria in humans. Their lifecycle is almost the same as theP. falciparum, but there are some characteristics inP. vivax. The sporozoite stage infects into the humans through the mosquito bite. They migrate into the blood of humans, enter the liver, and multiply asexually to produce merozoites. However, it should be noted that some of the sporozoites do not start to grow and multiply immediately at the liver. In fact, the inactive sporozoites would remain in a dormant stage known as hypnozoites. The merozoites invade RBCs in the bloodstream and rupture the erythrocytes. This rupturing is not as severe as inP. falciparum, sinceP. vivaxmerozoites prefer to invade the new RBCs only. The formation of gametocytes takes place, wait for the mosquitoes to take them, and fertilize inside mosquitoes. This journey ofP. vivaxcontinues to infect humans through mosquitoes until a sensible disturbance is caused.
What is the difference between Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax?
• P. vivaxproduces benign tertian malaria, butP. falciparumproduces malignant tertian malaria.
•P. vivaxlifecycle includes sporozoites that remain as hypnozoites, but there are no dormant stages inP. falciparum.
•InP. falciparum, merozoites enter new RBCs, whereasP. vivaxmerozoites can invade RBCs of all ages.
•P. falciparumcauses more severe infection on human than theP. vivaxdoes.
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