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Created page with 'thumb|right|150px|Coccidia - Joel Mills *The '''oocyst''' is the resistant stage in the environment *The infective '''sporozoite''' is released from the …'
[[Image:Coccidia.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Coccidia - Joel Mills]]

*The '''oocyst''' is the resistant stage in the environment

*The infective '''sporozoite''' is released from the oocyst

*Inside the host, the sporozoites invade the intestinal epithelial tissue
**Sporozoites feed and grow

*As the sporozoite grows the nucleus divides forming a '''schizont'''

*The schizont contains numerous elongated '''merozoites'''

*The formation of merozoites is the first asexual reproductive stage called '''schizogony'''

*The schizont ruptures releasing the merozoites which also invade the epithelial cells

*Another generation of schizonts form which is the beginning of the sexual phase of reproduction called '''gametogony'''

*The merozoites form male '''microgamonts''' or female '''macrogamonts'''
**Collectively known as gamonts or gametocytes

*The microgamonts released from the microgametocyte penetrate and fertilise the macrogamont (which is contained within the macrogametocyte)

*Gametogony forms the '''zygote'''
**Surrounded by a cyst wall
**Forms the '''oocyst'''

*The oocyst is passed in the faeces and is unsporulated

*The oocyst becomes sporulated in the second asexual reproductive phase called '''sporogony'''

*Once the oocyst is sporulated it is infective[[Category:Coccidia]]
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