Unknown

The diagnostic characteristics of Plasmodium falciparum are best described by which one of the following statement?

An important diagnostic feature is the irregular appearance of the infected red blood cell

A period of 72 Hour is required for development of the mature schizont, which resembles a rosette with only 8 to 10 oval merozites

Except in infection with very high parasitemia, only ring forms of early trophozoites and the gametocytes are seen in the peripheral smear

Schuffner stippling is routinely seen in red blood cells that harbor parasites