Summoning Moaquitoes
Dr. Jacob Koella and his associates hypothesized that Plasmodium might benefit by making its human host more attractive to hungry mosquitoes when gametocytes are available in the host’s blood. Gametocytes taken up by the mosquito will mature into gametes and mate inside its gut.
To test their hypothesis, the researchers recorded the response or mosquitoes to the odor or Plasmodium-infected children and uninfected children over the course of 12 trials on 12 separate days. FIRGURE 21.18 shows their results.
FIGURE 21.18 Attracting mosquitoes. The graph shows that the number of mosquitoes (out 100) attracted to uninfected children, children harboring the aseoual stage of Plasmodium, and children with gametocytes in their blood. The bars show the average number of mosquitoes attracted to that category of child over the course of 12 separate trials.
On average, which group of children was most attractive to mosquitoes?
To determine: The group of children who were the most attractive to mosquitoes.
Introduction: Plasmodium is one among the genus of unicellular eukaryotes that are obligate parasites of vertebrates and insects. It infects humans and is responsible for most malarial infections. It is transmitted through the bite of the female Anopheles mosquito. The life cycle involves the mosquito and the human as a host. During the blood meal, the malaria-infected mosquito inoculates sporozoites into the human host. The sporozoite infects the liver cells and matures into schizonts that rupture and releases the merozoites.
Explanation of Solution
In this study, the groups of children who have gametocytes in their blood were more attractive to the mosquitoes. Gametocytes that arise from the erythrocytic asexual stage are responsible for the transmission of the parasite from the mammalian host to the mosquito. The graph shows the number of mosquitoes in the y-axis, and the children with gametocytes, children with asexual stage, and uninfected children in the x-axis. The graph shows that children with gametocytes of Plasmodium are more attracted to mosquitoes.
The children with gametocytes present in their blood are most attractive to mosquitoes.
Want to see more full solutions like this?
Chapter 21 Solutions
Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap Course List)
Additional Science Textbook Solutions
Microbiology with Diseases by Body System (4th Edition)
Biological Science (6th Edition)
Campbell Essential Biology with Physiology (5th Edition)
Microbiology Fundamentals: A Clinical Approach - Standalone book
Microbiology: Principles and Explorations
BIOLOGY:THE ESSENTIALS (LL) W/CONNECT
- Explain with a diagram how the malaria parasite is trasmitted to the host by the femalee anopheles mosquitoarrow_forwardWhich statements regarding the life cycle of the malaria causing Plasmodiun Falciparum are true? Check all that apply. 1. The sporozites that enter the human body by a mosquito bite are haploid 2. The merozoites produced by liver cells are haploid 3. Merzoites in the bloodstream reproduce and are diploid 4. Some Merozoites produce diploid sexual structures called gametocytes 5. In mosquitoes, gametocytes produce gametes that fuse to form a diploid zygote. Please explain which of the statements are correct and why. Thank you.arrow_forwarda. Why is it necessary for most parasites to leave their host tocomplete the life cycle?b. What are some ways to prevent completion of the life cycle?c. What is the benefit to parasites of having numerous hosts?d. What are the disadvantages in having more than one host?arrow_forward
- In Dictyostelium, cheats must modify their behavior when in a chimera to take advantage of their partner. A. depends on whether they perform direct reciprocity B. FALSE C. depends on whether they perform indirect reciprocity D. TRUEarrow_forwardWhich statement about slime molds is correct? A. Cellular slime molds have haploid zygotes. B. Cytoplasmic streaming helps distribute nutrients and oxygen in cellular slime molds. C. In plasmodial slime molds, the haploid condition is the dominant part of the life cycle. D. Cellular slime molds have fruiting bodies that function in sexual reproduction. E. Cellular slime molds form masses when food is scarce, but their cells remain separated .arrow_forwardWhy would a parasite develop a life cycle involving an intermediate hosts? What is this giving the parasite? Provide example(s)arrow_forward
- Choose an example of a host adaptation that may not look advantageous at first, but was determined to reduce parasite load. Explain the mechanism for why this came to be and why it was advantageous.arrow_forwardWhy is a complex life cycle involving multiple hosts often a characteristic of a parasite – why might it have evolved?arrow_forwardIf a person is bitten by a mosquito with the malaria orgaism it get into humans via the mosquitos saliva. The protists travel through the blood to the host's ___________. They leave the liver and then live in the host's __________. Here they multiply. They leave the red blood cells and move into a ___________ when it bites the host. The malaria gemetes the mosquito ingests get fertilized in the mosquito and then move to the mosquito's ____________.arrow_forward
- Please answer fast Imagine 4 hypothetical parasites that use humans as a definitive host that have evolved, in isolation, on Australia (an island). Which of the 4 (described below) would be most likely to successfully colonize Madagascar (another island, distant from Australia, and already populated by humans) if a group of 8 infected Australian humans emigrated to Madagascar? a. A trematode that uses direct penetration to infect humans and has 3 intermediate hosts. b. A cestode with an indirect life cycle and trophic transmission c. An apicomplexan transmitted to humans by a biological vector. d. A nematode with a direct life cycle and fecal-oral transmission.arrow_forwardYou are trying to develop a new anti-termite chemical that will not harm environmentally beneficial insects. Because termites are adapted to eat only wood, they will starve if they cannot digest this food source. Termites have two symbiotic partners: the protozoan Trichonympha collaris and the bacteria it harbors that actually produce the enzyme that digests the wood. Knowing this, how might you prevent termite infestations without targeting the termites directly?arrow_forwardin your own words: Some insects parasitize other insects. These are known as parasitoids. Select one from among these parasitoidsand explain their life cycle; explain how it parasitizes its host and you may include other features.arrow_forward
- Biology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...BiologyISBN:9781337408332Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology: The Unity and Diversity of Life (MindTap...BiologyISBN:9781305073951Author:Cecie Starr, Ralph Taggart, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage LearningBiology Today and Tomorrow without Physiology (Mi...BiologyISBN:9781305117396Author:Cecie Starr, Christine Evers, Lisa StarrPublisher:Cengage Learning