Chapter 35, Problem 1Q

Trypanosome and Plasmodium are both found in blood. How do they differ in their locations relative to red blood cells?

Summary Introduction

To write:

The difference in the locations of Trypanosoma and Plasmodium relative to red blood cells.

Introduction:

Trypanosoma is a monophyletic group of unicellular parasitic flagellate protozoa. It is a part of phylum Sarcomastigophora. Plasmodium is a group of unicellular eukaryotes that are obligate parasites of vertebrates and insects and it injects during a blood meal. It is a part of the phylum Apicomplexa.

Explanation of Solution

Trypanosoma and Plasmodium both are found in the blood. Trypanosoma lives in the blood plasma or lymph node fluid. Trypanosoma is an extracellular parasite that causes sleeping sickness and other chronic infections. It occurs in two main niches, early in infection, they populate the blood and later they breach the blood-brain barrier.

Plasmodium lives inside the red blood cells. Plasmodium involves development in the blood-feeding insect host which injects parasite into the vertebrate host during a blood meal. Parasites grow within the tissue body of the vertebrate, before entering the bloodstream to infect the red blood cells. It causes malarial infection.

Conclusion

Thus, Trypanosoma is found in the plasma or lymph node of the blood while Plasmodium is found inside the red blood cells of the blood.