Tag: Plasmodium

According to research, the malaria-causing parasite Plasmodium dramatically increases its host cell's glucose consumption by up to 100-fold during the most metabolically active stages. This behavior answers the question: Are Plasmodium heterotrophic or autotrophic? Plasmodium is not an autotroph but an obligate heterotrophic parasite that must steal nutrients from its host to survive.

Globally, malaria parasites cause hundreds of thousands of deaths annually, making their survival strategies a critical area of study. The answer to which type of nutrition does Plasmodium do reveals a masterfully adapted and complex parasitic life, relying entirely on its host for sustenance.