The infective stage of Plasmodium that invades red blood cells.
Stage in the life cycle of the malaria parasite and of certain other parasites.
A stage in the life cycle of the malaria parasite (Plasmodium). Many merozoites are formed during the asexual division of the schizont. The released merozoites may invade new red blood cells or new liver cells and continue the asexual phase with the production of yet more merozoites, effectively spreading the infection. Alternatively, merozoites invade red blood cells and begin the sexual cycle with the formation of male and female sex cells.
A body formed by segmentation or breaking up of a schizont in asexual reproduction of certain sporozoans, such as Plasmodium. When formed, merozoites are liberated and invade other corpuscles, where they repeat the process of schizogony or develop into gametocytes.