Protozoology Prepared by Dr. Jhason John J. Cabigon I.

General Characteristics Classified under Kingdom Protista Eukaryotic, unicellular microorganisms Have cell membranes but dont have cell walls Chemoheterotrophic nutrition General Life Cycle of Protozoans A. Cyst dormant, resting, survival stage B. Trophozoite motile and feeding stage Classification of Protozoans according to motility A. Phylum Sarcodina (Amoeboids) Means of movement pseudopodia (false feet) Examples Entamoeba histolytica, Acanthamoeba, Naegleria B. Phylum Ciliophora (Ciliates) Means of movement cilia Examples Balantidium coli C. Phylum Mastigophora (Flagellates) Means of movement flagella Examples Trypanosoma, Trichomonas, Giardia lamblia D. Phylum Sporozoea (Sporozoans) Means of movement generally non-motile Examples Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Cryptosporidium Pathogenic Protozoans A. Intestinal Protozoans transmission occurs by food and water contaminated with human waste; the cyst form is ingested which later develops to their trophozoite from; causes diarrhea and dysentery Ex: Entamoeba histolytica, Balantidium coli, Giardia lamblia B. Blood and Tissue Protozoans Acanthamoeba causes ocular ulcers in contact lens wearers Naegleria causes meningoencephalitis Trypanosoma causes African sleeping disease and Chagas disease Leishmania causes Cutaneous and Visceral Leishmaniasis Toxoplasma causes Neurotoxoplasmosis in HIV patients; can also cause neonatal infection Plasmodium causes Malaria Malaria A. Symptoms: Fever, chills, profuse sweating, convulsion, anemia and fluid and electrolytes imbalance, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly B. Incubation Period: 6-14 days C. Etiologic agent: Plasmodium falciparum malignant (cerebral malaria) Plasmodium vivax benign, dormant (tertian malaria: febrile paroxysms q42-47 hours) Plasmodium ovale dormant Plasmodium malariae mild but resistant (quartan malaria: febrile paroxysms q72 hours) D. Diagnosis: Peripheral blood smear microscopy remains the gold standard for malaria diagnosis 70% P. falciparum 30% P. vivax < 1% P. malariae and P. ovale E. History of Travel (High risk): Cagayan, Palawan, Isabela, Davao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Apayao, and Sultan Kudarat F. Suspected or confirmed malaria, especially P. falciparum, is a medical emergency, requiring urgent intervention as clinical deterioration can occur rapidly and unpredictably G. Mode of transmission: Injection of sporozoites into the human bloodstream by an infected female, night-biting Anopheles mosquito while taking a blood meal, also by blood transfusion H. Life cycle of Plasmodium 1. Asexual stage a. Tissue Phase

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Once injected by the mosquito vector (Anopheles), the sporozoites circulate and within an hour are found in the liver They divide asexually (schizogony) into merozoites (daughter cells) inside the liver cells The liver cells become packed with merozoites and eventually ruptures to release thousands of merozoites b. Erythrocytic Phase They invade red blood cells and transform into ring forms (trophozoites), then divide asexually (schizogony) to produce multinucleated schizonts; schizonts then develop into merozoites (daughter cells) The red cell ruptures and releases more merozoites to infect red cells; a few cells differentiate into female and male gametocytes Sexual stage the mosquito ingests the gametocytes and the sexual stage (sporogony) takes place in the mosquitos stomach. The sporozoites produced migrate to the salivary glands and the cycle continues.