Plasmodium vivax sporozoite (Pv sporozoite)

Plasmodium vivax sporozoites are the infectious, motile stage of the P. vivax parasite, transmitted to humans via the bite of an infected female Anopheles mosquito (CDC, 2023). Once in the host, these sporozoites travel through the bloodstream to the liver, where they specifically target and invade hepatocytes to initiate the exo-erythrocytic cycle (Mueller et al., 2009). A unique feature of P. vivax is the ability of some sporozoites to transform into hypnozoites, which are dormant forms that can cause malaria relapses months or years after the initial infection (WHO, 2022). The sporozoite surface is covered with proteins like the Circumsporozoite Protein (CSP), which is essential for motility and host cell recognition and serves as a primary target for vaccine development (Baird, 2009). Therapeutic interventions targeting this stage, known as causal prophylaxis, aim to prevent the parasite from establishing a liver-stage infection. Drugs such as atovaquone and proguanil act against the early liver stages following sporozoite invasion, while vaccines and monoclonal antibodies are being developed to neutralize sporozoites before they reach the liver (Shanks et al., 1998). Understanding the biology of P. vivax sporozoites is critical for developing strategies to achieve radical cure and global malaria elimination.

Other names

P. vivax sporozoitePlasmodium vivax infectious stagePv sporozoite

Causal prophylaxis via inhibition of liver-stage development and neutralization of sporozoite motility (Baird, 2009; CDC, 2023).