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== Life cycle ==
[[Sporozoites]] are found in the [[salivary glands]] of an infected [[Simulium]] [[fly]] and are transmitted to the bird when the fly bites the bird to feed on its blood. The injected sporozoites find thier way to the liver where they infect hepatocytes and develop initially into [[trophozoite]]s and subsequently into [[schizont]]s. These schizonts divide into [[merozoite]]s after 4-6 days. The duration of this stage depends in part upon the species.
The newly released merozoites infect either [[erythrocyte]]s, [[leukocyte]]s or [[macrophage]]s. Those infecting the macrophages develop into [[megaloschizont]]s. The megaloschizonts divide into primary cytomeres which in turn multiply into smaller [[cytomere]]s which mature into schizonts which in thier turn divide into merozoites.
In erythrocytes or leukocytes, merozoites develop into [[gametocytes]].
If a non infected fly feeds on an infected bird at this point they will ingest the gametocytes.
The gametocytes mature in the insect [[midgut]] into [[macrogametocyte]]s (female) and [[microgametocyte]]s (male) which fuse to form an [[ookinete]].
The ookinete penetrates an intestinal cell of the fly and matures into an [[oocyst]]. After several days the oocyst produces sporozoites that leave and migrate to the salivary glands of the fly.
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