Mosquito (Anopheles) is an exogenous host for Plasmodium.

Mosquitoes of the Anopheles genus play a crucial role in the transmission of the Plasmodium parasite, which causes malaria. Malaria is a life-threatening disease that affects millions of people worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions. Understanding the role of mosquitoes in the transmission cycle of Plasmodium is essential for devising effective control strategies.

Exogenous host for Plasmodium:
An exogenous host refers to an organism that harbors a parasite during a specific stage of its life cycle. In the case of Plasmodium, the exogenous host is the mosquito, specifically the female Anopheles mosquito. The female mosquito serves as a vector, transmitting the parasite from an infected human to a healthy individual through its bite.

Life cycle of Plasmodium:
1. Human host: Plasmodium enters the human host when an infected female Anopheles mosquito bites a person. The sporozoite stage of the parasite is injected into the bloodstream during the mosquito's bite.
2. Liver stage: The sporozoites travel to the liver, where they invade hepatocytes and undergo a series of transformations. During this stage, the parasite multiplies asexually, forming thousands of merozoites.
3. Blood stage: The merozoites are released from the liver and invade red blood cells. Inside the red blood cells, they multiply rapidly, causing the characteristic symptoms of malaria, such as fever, chills, and anemia.
4. Gametocyte stage: Some of the merozoites differentiate into sexual forms called gametocytes. These gametocytes remain in the bloodstream and can be taken up by a mosquito during a blood meal.
5. Mosquito host: When a female Anopheles mosquito feeds on an infected person, it ingests the gametocytes along with the blood. Inside the mosquito's midgut, the gametocytes mature into male and female gametes, which fuse to form a zygote.
6. Oocyst stage: The zygote develops into an oocyst, which grows and releases thousands of sporozoites.
7. Salivary gland stage: The sporozoites migrate to the mosquito's salivary glands, ready to be transmitted to another human host during the mosquito's next blood meal.

Conclusion:
In conclusion, the Anopheles mosquito is an exogenous host for Plasmodium. It plays a crucial role in the transmission of the parasite, allowing it to complete its life cycle and spread to new human hosts. Understanding the biology and behavior of mosquitoes is essential for developing effective strategies to control malaria transmission.