Life history of the malaria parasite (Plasmodium vivax) in man and the Anopheles mosquito
Black-and-white scientific chart tracing the malaria parasite through a human blood cycle and a sexual cycle in the mosquito, with arrows, time spans and labelled stages. It is an explanatory diagram rather than a persuasion piece; the technique is faint, limited to the borrowed authority of the Public Health Service seal and a named expert.
Propaganda techniques used in this poster
- Date
- 1942
- Period
- Second World War
- Made by
- U.S. Public Health Service, Malaria Investigations (interpreted by Dr. Bruce Mayne)
- Region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Medium
- Poster
- Issuer type
- State
- Regime
- Roosevelt Administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Audience
- Mixed
- Purpose
- Warn or inform
- Themes
- Health, Science and technology
- Event
- World War II
- Regime
- Roosevelt administration
- Leader
- Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Source
- Identified Openly sourced: the speaker is who they say they are
- Source
- U.S. National Archives and Records Administration, Record Group 44, World War II Posters, retrieved October 4, 2026
- Rights
- Public domain (U.S. government work)
U.S. Public Health Service, Malaria Investigations. National Archives and Records Administration, RG 44, 44-PA-1286 (NAID 514892).
Text on the object
LIFE HISTORY OF THE MALARIA PARASITE (PLASMODIUM VIVAX) IN MAN AND THE ANOPHELES MOSQUITO The cycle in human blood 48 hours Immature gametocyte Half-grown macro-gametocyte Nearly full-grown micro-gametocyte Trophozoite invades young corpuscle (reticulocyte) Signet ring (trophozoite) Amoeboid stage Maturing form Dividing parasite (schizont) Sporulating merozoites Schizont ruptures (chill and fever) Mature segmenting schizont Sporozoites injected into man Female Anopheles Not less than 2 weeks Gametocytes sucked with human blood into mosquito stomach SEXUAL CYCLE IN MOSQUITO Development of gametocytes in stomach cavity 24 hours or more Fertilization Epithelium of stomach wall Zygote, becoming motile (ookinete), enters gut wall Ookinete burrowing between cells Ookinete forms cyst under gut wall Early stage; pigment prominent Division within cyst Cyst enlarges; pigment less prominent Island-like masses form attachment for the developing sporozoites Sporozoites form within cyst in bundles of sickle-shaped organisms Stomach of Anopheles mosquito Sporozoites escape from cyst and enter salivary gland 3 of the 6 lobes of salivary glands 10 days or more, depending on temperature and humidity Interpreted by DR. BRUCE MAYNE Special Expert Malaria Investigations U.S. PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE [imprint:] U. S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE : 1942-O-494304
