Plasmodium vivax

Plasmodium vivax, a malaria causing parasite. This is a thin blood film which shows a mature schizont of Plasmodium vivax. The nucleus of the P. vivax trophozoite divides asexually and repeatedly (schizogony) into an average of 14 to 22 segments. During the stages of division, the parasite is known as a schizont. The cytoplasm finally divides to form separate small masses around each nucleus as shown in this mature schizont. The individual parasites are known as merozoites, and upon rupture of the infected cell (at about 48 hours) they are released to infect new red blood cells.