What is the dormant stage of Plasmodium species called?

The dormant stage of Plasmodium species is referred to as a hypnozoite. This stage is notably associated with certain species of Plasmodium, particularly Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale. Hypnozoites are the forms that can remain in the liver for extended periods, allowing the potential for relapses of malaria after the initial infection has been resolved.

In contrast, the trophozoite is the active, feeding stage of the parasite found in the host's bloodstream, where it is involved in growth and multiplication. The schizont is another life cycle stage that occurs in human red blood cells, characterized by the division of trophozoites into multiple merozoites, which are then released into the bloodstream to infect new red blood cells. Merozoites are the infectious form that emerges from the schizont stage and re-invades red blood cells. Each of these other stages plays a crucial role in the life cycle of Plasmodium, but they do not exhibit the dormant characteristics of the hypnozoite.