Protozoa

Dr. Linroy Christian

Definition
Eukaryotic Lack cell wall Usually obtain food by ingesting other organisms or organic matter Found in fresh water and marine habitats and also in soil Can be parasites of animals and humans

Definition
Most are motile They feed by ingesting their prey or organic material via:
Pinocytosis Phagocytosis A gullet

Mastigophora The Flagellates

Motile via a flagella Many are free-living, but some are parasitic to animals and humans Two important examples are the trypanosomes and giardia

Trypanosomas gambiense
Etiologic agent of chronic African Sleeping Sickness Spread by the bite of some species of the tsetse fly Disease can be transmitted from animal to human or from human to human Parasite can eventually invade the nervous system Infected individuals may be infected for months or years without symptoms

Symptoms of Chronic Sleeping Sickness

Initially can include bouts of fever, joint pain and itching After infection of the central nervous system:
Confusion Sensory disturbances Poor coordination Disturbance of the sleep cycle

Without treatment the disease can be fatal

T. gambiense

Giardia Lamblia
Etiologic agent of Giardiasis, an acute form of gastroenteritis Usually transmitted to human by faecally contaminated water and food and less frequently via sexual intercourse The disease is generally transmitted by the encysted form of the parasite Cysts are generally resistant to chlorination

Symptoms of Giardiasis
Explosive, foul-smelling, watery diarrhoea Intestinal cramps Flatulence Nausea Malaise

G. Lamblia

Sarcodina The Amoebas

Can be free-living in habitats such as ponds Move via amoeboid movement One of the most significant amoebas is Entamoeba histolitica, the etiologic agent of amoebic dysentery (amebiasis) It is transmitted from person to person by water and food contaminated with the cysts of the parasite

E. histolitica
Symptoms include:
Ulceration of the intestinal tract Diarrhoea Severe intestinal cramps

Diarrhoea is replaced by dysentery which is characterised by the passage of blood and mucus The infection if untreated can migrate to the liver, lung and brain

E. histolitica

Ciliophora The Ciliates

Possess cilia in some stage of their life cycle Not as many parasitic species as other protozoa They feed via a mouth part that leads to the gullet Cilia can be used in defense or to paralyse prey

The Ciliates
One of the best known genera is Paramecium Balantidium coli is a parasite of animals and humans causing symptoms similar to E. histolitica

Paramecium

Sporozoa
Are obligate parasites Lack a motile adult stage Do not generally ingest food, but absorb it through the outer wall Produce a spore-like structure called a sporozoite which are involved in the transmission into a new host

Plasmodium
The Plasmodia are one of the most important Sporozoa groups Plasmodia are the etiologic agent of malaria Most prevalent in Africa, but can be found in parts of the middle east and Europe Transmitted by the Anopheles mosquito

Malaria
Symptoms after 10-15 days may include:
Fever, headache, chills and vomiting

If left untreated:
Cerebral malaria, anemia and kidney failure Can result in death

The symptoms may not present for years depending on the infecting species

Malaria cycle