Final answer:
Malarial parasites change the red blood cells by invading them and replicating inside. The infected cells eventually burst, leading to the release of more parasites.
Step-by-step explanation:
The malarial parasites, specifically the species Plasmodium falciparum, change the red blood cells in the following way:
- An infected mosquito injects parasitic sporozoites into the bloodstream during a blood meal.
- The sporozoites travel to the liver and develop into schizonts.
- The schizonts undergo schizogony, leading to the release of multiple merozoites.
- The merozoites invade red blood cells and transform into trophozoites.
- The trophozoites produce more merozoites, resulting in the bursting of the infected blood cells, which releases the merozoites into the bloodstream.
This synchronous release of merozoites from red blood cells causes the symptoms of malaria.