Final answer:
The malaria protist cycle includes stages in both mosquitoes and humans, involving the development of Plasmodium parasites that are transmitted via mosquito bites, reproduce in the liver, and then infect and destroy red blood cells, causing severe malaria symptoms.
Step-by-step explanation:
The malaria protist cycle involves a complex series of stages that alternate between mosquitoes and humans, primarily caused by the genus Plasmodium. During a mosquito bite, sporozoites are transmitted from the mosquito's salivary glands into the human bloodstream, traveling to the liver to mature into schizonts. There, they undergo schizogony to release merozoites back into the bloodstream, which then invade red blood cells.
Inside these cells, the merozoites develop into trophozoites and replicate to release more merozoites, leading to the characteristic symptoms of malaria, such as fever and anemia, as red blood cells burst in unison. Plasmodium falciparum is the deadliest species, and malaria is predominantly transmitted by the African mosquito Anopheles gambiae. Control strategies include the use of insecticide-treated bed nets and antimalarial drugs, although challenges persist due to drug resistance and the lack of an effective vaccine.