The definitive host for Plasmodium vivax is
a. Human
b. Anopheles
c. A sporocyte
d. A gametocyte

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Understand the concept of a definitive host: In parasitology, the definitive host is the organism in which the parasite reaches sexual maturity and undergoes sexual reproduction.

Recall the life cycle of Plasmodium vivax: This parasite causes malaria and has two main hosts — a human and a mosquito (specifically Anopheles species).

Identify where sexual reproduction occurs: In the Plasmodium life cycle, sexual reproduction takes place inside the mosquito host, where gametocytes develop into gametes and fuse.

Recognize that the Anopheles mosquito is the definitive host because it supports the sexual phase of Plasmodium vivax's life cycle.

Conclude that the correct answer is the Anopheles mosquito, as it is the definitive host where sexual reproduction occurs.

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Key Concepts

Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.

Definitive Host

The definitive host is the organism in which a parasite reaches sexual maturity and undergoes sexual reproduction. For Plasmodium species, this host supports the sexual phase of the parasite's life cycle.

Plasmodium vivax Life Cycle

Plasmodium vivax alternates between two hosts: humans and Anopheles mosquitoes. The parasite undergoes asexual reproduction in humans and sexual reproduction in the mosquito vector.

Role of Anopheles Mosquito

Anopheles mosquitoes serve as the definitive host for Plasmodium vivax, where gametocytes develop into gametes, fuse, and form zygotes, completing the sexual phase before transmission back to humans.

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