Malaria parasites. Image 2 of 10. Coloured transmission electron micrograph (TEM) of malaria in a human red blood cell. The trophozoite stage of malaria (Plasmodium sp., brown), which inhabits the red blood cells (green), is undergoing asexual replication (schizogony). It is now known as a schizont, producing several merozoites, which burst out of the cell at maturity and invade other blood cells. The periodic release of merozoites causes severe fevers in the host. Magnification: x9300 at 6x7cm size. For the complete malaria parasite life cycle, see images M210/207-216.