The following are the stages of life cycle of Plasmodium. Arrange the stages in the proper order.

A. The parasites reproduce asexually in RBCs, bursting the cells.
B. The parasites reproduce asexually in liver cells, bursting the cells and releasing into blood.
C. Gametocytes develop in RBCs.
D. Sporozoites reach the liver through the blood.
E. Female mosquito injects sporozoites into humans during bite.

Choose the correct answer from the options given below :

The life cycle of the malaria parasite Plasmodium begins when an infected female Anopheles mosquito bites a human. During the bite, the mosquito injects sporozoites into the skin, which then enter the bloodstream.

Step E: Female mosquito injects sporozoites into humans during bite.

From the bloodstream, the sporozoites travel to the liver.

Step D: Sporozoites reach the liver through the blood.

Inside hepatocytes (liver cells), the sporozoites undergo asexual reproduction, producing thousands of merozoites. The infected liver cells rupture, releasing merozoites into the peripheral blood.

Step B: The parasites reproduce asexually in liver cells, bursting the cells and releasing into blood.

When the merozoites reach red blood cells (RBCs), they invade and multiply asexually, a process called schizogony. This results in the destruction of the RBCs as new merozoites are released.

Step A: The parasites reproduce asexually in RBCs, bursting the cells.

Some of the parasites differentiate into sexual forms called gametocytes while still inside RBCs. These gametocytes will be taken up by another mosquito when it feeds on the infected human.

Step C: Gametocytes develop in RBCs.

Thus, the correct chronological order of the stages is:

E → D → B → A → C