Infective stage of Plasmodium is

Options

A. schizont
B. trophozoite
C. sporozoite
D. gametocyte

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Understanding the Question**: The question asks for the infective stage of Plasmodium, which is the causative agent of malaria.

2. **Life Cycle of Plasmodium**: To answer the question, we need to understand the life cycle of Plasmodium. It has several stages, including both asexual and sexual reproduction.

3. **Infection Initiation**: The infective stage begins when an infected female Anopheles mosquito bites a human. During this bite, the mosquito injects sporozoites into the human bloodstream.

4. **Asexual Reproduction**: After the sporozoites enter the human body, they travel to the liver where they undergo asexual reproduction. This phase consists of two parts: the pre-erythrocytic phase and the erythrocytic phase.

5. **Release of Merozoites**: In the liver, sporozoites multiply and form thousands of merozoites, which are then released into the bloodstream. This marks the end of the asexual reproduction phase.

6. **Development into Gametocytes**: The merozoites can then develop into gametocytes, which are taken up by another mosquito during a blood meal, continuing the life cycle.

7. **Identifying the Infective Stage**: The key point is that the sporozoite is the infective stage of Plasmodium that initiates the infection in humans.

8. **Final Answer**: Therefore, the infective stage of Plasmodium is the **Sporozoite**.

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