• The infective stage for man is sporozoite. The sporozoites (from the saliva of female Anopheles mosquito) infect human beings.

• Sporozoites first infect liver cells (hepatocytes), and not erythrocytes.

• Later, merozoites are released from the liver to attack red blood cells and their rupture causes fever.

• Fever usually appears after every 3 - 4 days.

• P. vivax and P. ovale: fever every 48 hrs (tertian).

• P. malariae: every 72 hrs (quartan).

• P. falciparum: irregular, malignant tertian, often .

• Haemozoin causes shivering and high fever. Haemozoin (malarial pigment) released during RBC rupture is responsible for fever and chills.

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