Question

Maurer’s dots occur in human RBCs infected by
A) Plasmodium falciparum
B) Plasmodium ovale
C) Plasmodium vivax
D) Plasmodium malariae

Answer 1

Maurer’s dots are the membranous comma like structure seen during the infection of Red blood corpuscles. They get enlarged during infection.

Complete Answer:
- RBC stands for red blood corpuscles. They are a very important constituent of the blood as they contain oxygen binding protein called the haemoglobin.
- Maurer’s dots are the membranous structure in the RBC. It contains a group of antigens.. They appear as a small membrane bound vacuole appearing as coarse granules in RBC. They expand to form flattened cisternae during infection. They appear in the cytosol of RBC 2 to 4 hours after infection by Plasmodium falciparum.
- Their function is they act as sorting centres through which parasite protein is trafficked to RBC.
- The parasite protein involved in binding of infected RBS to host blood vessels, all of the proteins localise the Maurer’s dots on their way to RBC. These dots help in trafficking Plasmodium falciparum protein and other adhesions to RBC surfaces. They appear dark blue by Giemsa staining.
- Schuffner’s dots are formed due to Plasmodium vivax infection.
- Ziemann’s dots are formed due to Plasmodium malariae infection.

Thus the correct answer is (A) maurer’s dot appears in human RBC on infection of Plasmodium falciparum.

Note: For most Plasmodium species, the parasites are in infected liver cells, After emerging from the liver, they enter red blood cells.