| Malaria Biology Quiz A Q1
Following a mosquito bite the newly introduced malarial parasite will first enter the liver cells and replicate - only after this do they enter blood. In some species parasites may remain dormant in this liver stage (as a "hypnozoite") before re-emerging to cause a late or recurrent infection after weeks, months or perhaps longer.
| Explanation of correct answer (click "Expand").
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Short answer taken from section "Initial Infection in the Malaria Biology page" (see the section for full details and links).
The hepatic stage is the period where parasites begin to replicate and cause infection - this corresponds to an incubation period before symptoms begin; this will typically last between 1-4 weeks, and during this time parasites will not be detected in blood. For two malaria species ( P.ovale and P.vivax ) the hepatic stage may lie dormant for a period of time - this is the hynozoite (“sleeping animal”). This hyponozoite may reactivate - typically in less than a year although occasionally longer, causing clinical malaria symptoms long after the initial infection.
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