Question

What do you know about the exo-erythrocytic cycle of Plasmodium Vivax.

Answer 1

Exo-erythrocytic means occurring outside the red blood cell. So, this cycle involves the phases of malarial cycle which occur outside the red blood cells i.e. in the liver (exoerythrocytic schizogony). In this phase sporozoites grow to form large round structures called schizonts. They divide by multiple fission to form merozoites. This process is called schizogony. The schizonts rupture and merozoites also known as crypto zoites are released into liver passages this is pre-erythrocytic schizogony. A second phase of asexual multiplication is exo- erythrocytic schizogony in which crypto zoites enter new liver cells and grow into schizonts and next cycle proceeds.