Understand The Malaria Lifecycle

Understanding the malaria cycle:

Malaria is a potentially deadly disease and the cycle of infection can take place very quickly. The malaria life cycle is as follows:

1. Infected mosquito bites human
2. Parasite rapidly goes to the liver within 30 minutes
3. The parasite starts reproducing rapidly in the liver, some parasites (from the ovale and vivax species of malaria) lie dormant in the liver, to reactivate and cause diseases often long after the initial infection.
4. This gets into the blood stream, attaches and enters red blood cells. Further reproduction occurs.
5. Infected red blood cells burst, infecting other blood cells
6. This repetitive cycle causes fever and depletes the body of oxygen, caring red blood cells. Additionally, infected red blood cells clog up the circulation in vital organs such as the brain and kidney.
7. As infection progresses, sexual forms of the parasite (gametocycles) are released into the blood stream. When a mosquito bites, it takes up these gametocycles and the cycle of infection is perpetual placing others at risk.

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