1. Small parasitic cells produced during the asexual reproduction stage of certain protozoans, especially malaria parasites, that are released from infected cells and infect new host cells.
Usage: biology; medical; plural form of merozoite

Examples

• Merozoites are released from red blood cells during the erythrocytic stage of malaria infection.
• The antimalarial drug targets merozoites to prevent them from invading new cells.
• Researchers study merozoites to understand how the malaria parasite multiplies in the human body.
• When merozoites burst from infected cells, they trigger the fever and chills characteristic of malaria.
• Vaccine development focuses on blocking merozoites from entering and destroying healthy red blood cells.