AMOEBAS AND FLAGELLATES

2B 2019 PARA TRANSERS

Ena, Reuter, Joy, Sam, Renz, Fritz, Demi, Jessy

Entamoeba histolytica
Entamoeba dispar*
Entamoeba hartmanni*

Entamoeba coli
Endolimax nana
Iodamoeba butschlii
Dientamoeba fragilis*
Chilomastix mesnili
Balantidium coli
Giardia lamblia

* Not in the manual but mentioned by Dra. Malijan

Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba histolytica
1.

2.
3.

4.
5.

Ingestion of mature
cysts (INFECTIVE
STAGE) through
contaminated food
or water
Excystation in small
intestines, releasing
trophozoites
Trophozoites
(VEGETATIVE STAGE)
travel to large
intestine
Multiply by binary
fission
Cysts and
trophozoites passed
out in stool
http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/amebiasis/

Entamoeba histolytica CYST

10-20 m spherical, thin-walled cysts

Mature cyst has 1-4 nuclei (# of nuclei not a diagnostic parameter in E. histolytica)
Karyosome is relatively small and it is in the middle of nucleus (BULLS EYE)
CIGAR or SAUSAGE-SHAPED (elongated and thick at ends) chromatoidal
bars/bodies which are essential for hibernation

Entamoeba histolytica CYST

Trichrome stain

Can have more than one nuclei ranging from 1-4 (black
arrows)
Presence of cigar-shaped chromatoidal bars (red arrow)
http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/amebiasis/

Entamoeba histolytica CYST

Wet mount stool

Black arrows point to the cigar-shaped

chromatoidal bars
http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/amebiasis/

Entamoeba histolytica CYST

Bulls eye central karyosome in the nucleus

Entamoeba histolytica TROPHOZOITE

15-60 m
Mononucleated
Nucleus is round
with karyosome in
the middle (BULLS
EYE)
Presence of fingerlike, clear
pseudopodia
Abundant
ectoplasm
Periphery of
nuclear membrane
has granulations

Entamoeba histolytica TROPHOZOITE

Invasive so it has
ingested RBCs
(hematophagous)
If + RBCs, E.
histolytica agad,
wala nang iba

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/tDI2ldUZqcM/UDOAGcqYOyI/AAAAAAAAHog/wWoyCHFgB5g/s1600/E_histolytica+1.
jpg

Trichrome stain

Entamoeba histolytica TROPHOZOITE

Trophozoites with
ingested RBCs.
The ingested RBCs
appear as dark
inclusions.

Trichrome stain
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/tDI2ldUZqcM/UDOAGcqYOyI/AAAAAAAAHog/wWoyCHFgB5g/s1600/E_histolytica+1.
jpg

Entamoeba histolytica TROPHOZOITE

http://www.medical-labs.net/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/Entamoeba-histolyticatrophozoite.jpg http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/amebiasis/

Entamoeba histolytica TROPHOZOITE

http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/amebiasis/

Life Cycle of Nonpathogenic Intestinal

Amoebas
1. Ingestion of mature cysts through contaminated
food or water
2. Excystation in small intestines, releasing
trophozoites
3. Trophozoites travel to large intestine
4. Multiply by binary fission
5. Cysts and trophozoites passed out in stool

Entamoeba dispar
Entamoeba hartmanni

E. dispar and E. hartmanni

Features are similar to E. histolytica
EXCEPT:
They do not ingest RBCs
They are smaller versions (according to Dr.
Malijan)

To distinguish, use more sophisticated lab

tests like ELISA

Entamoeba coli

Entamoeba coli CYST

Nucleus is very small
and eccentric
Chromatoidal bars/
bodies are
SPLINTERED-SHAPED or
jagged at the edges
(parang walis
tingting)
Mature cyst can have 8
nuclei due to binary
fission
https://o.quizlet.com/mnDt36aUx02tOmlB8zzLbA_m.jpg

Entamoeba coli CYST

Wet mount stained
with Iodine

10-33 m; thick-walled (refractile double-outlined) cysts

Multiple nuclei (5 on the L pic; 7 on the R pic)
Max # of nuclei = 8 (acc. To Dr. Malijan); 16 or more (acc. to
CDC)
http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/intestinalamebae/gallery.html#ecolitrophstrichrome

 Immature
cyst
Only 2
nuclei
Large
glycogen
vacuole

Entamoeba coli TROPHOZOITE

Trichrome stain

15-50 m
Nucleus is seen as ring of refractive dots
Sluggish with a short and blunt pseudopodia (non-directional and nonprogressive)
Vacuoles in the cytoplasm can contain bacteria and other debris dirty
cytoplasm
http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/intestinalamebae/gallery.html#ecolitrophstrichrome

Entamoeba coli TROPHOZOITE

Trichrome stain

Entamoeba coli CYST vs TROPHOZOITE

Entamoeba coli vs Entamoeba histolytica

Endolimax nana

Endolimax nana CYST

5-14 m; spherical to ellipsoidal in shape with thin walls

Mature cysts possess 4 nuclei with blot-like karyosome and
no peripheral chromatin
Cytoplasm lacks chromatoidal bars

Endolimax nana TROPHOZOITE

8-10 m; sluggish with blunt, granular pseudopodia

Single nucleus with no peripheral chromatin
Large, irregularly-shaped, BLOT-LIKE karyosome

Iodamoeba butschlii

Iodamoeba butschlii
Relatively large
Presence of welldelineated glycogen
vacuole
In other parasites,
glycogen is dispersed

If you use iodine to stain

(such as in the picture
Dark brown = glycogen
vacuole
Black = glucose particles
http://www.medical-labs.net/iodamoeba-butschlii-3091/

Iodamoeba butschlii CYST

Iodine Stain

10-12 m irregularly shaped, thin-walled cysts

Uninucleate
Glycogen vacuole is easily identified as dark staining mass, 2/3 of
cytoplasmic content
http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/intestinalamebae/gallery.html#ibuetschliicystswet
mounts

Iodamoeba butschlii CYST

Glycogen vacuole is
2/3 of cytoplasm
Nuclei same as nuclei
in trophozoite basket
nuclei
Iodine Stain

Iodamoeba butschlii CYST

Iodine Stain

Iodamoeba butschlii CYST

Single nucleus
Large glycogen
vacuole
Iodine Stain

Iodamoeba butschlii TROPHOZOITE

Trichrome stain

8-20 m, fairly active

Blunt, clear pseudopodia with little ectoplasm
Trophozoites usually has a single nucleus with large, central
karyosome surrounded by refractile, achromatic granules
http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/intestinalamebae/gallery.html#ibuetschliicystswet
mounts

Dientamoeba fragilis

Dientamoeba fragilis
5 to 15 m
NO KNOWN CYST STAGE
Mode of transmission: may
be fecal-oral route of cotransmission via via
helminth eggs (e.g., Ascaris,
Enterobius spp.)
1-2 nuclei with chromatin
granules
Cytoplasm with vacuoles
containing ingested debris
No evident flagellum

Dientamoeba fragilis TROPHOZOITE

Chilomastix mesnili

Chilomastix mesnili CYST

5-18 m irregularly shaped, thin-walled cysts

Usually has only one nuclei
Pics: Stained with iodine
Glycogen vacuole is easily identified as dark staining mass

http://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/intestinalamebae/gallery.html#ibuetschliicystswet
mounts

Chilomastix mesnili

Chilomastix mesnili

Balantidium coli

Balantidium coli CYST

45-65 m;

round
Bean-shaped
Macronucleus
Cilia not
completely
retracted
Has contractile
vacuoles

Balantidium coli CYST

The most prominent feature is its macronucleus

(supposed to be kidney-shaped)

Balantidium coli CYST

H & E stain

Balantidium coli CYST

H & E stain

Wet mount

H & E stain

Balantidium coli CYST

B. coli is BIG!!!
No cilia cyst
stage

H & E stain

Balantidium coli TROPHOZOITE

60 150 um x 40 170 um

Covered all over by cilia

Ovoid (oversized
teardrop)
Cytostome (ant. through
which food is acquired):

Inverted cone-shaped
Cytopyge (post. through
which waste is excreted):
broadly rounded end
Bean-shaped
macronucleus

H & E stain

Balantidium coli TROPHOZOITE

H & E stain

Balantidium coli TROPHOZOITE

Kidney-shaped
nucleus
macronucleus of
B. coli
Ciliated
Trophozoite
H & E stain

Balantidium coli TROPHOZOITE

With cilia all
over body
Balantidium coli
trophozoite

H & E stain

Giardia lamblia

Giardia lamblia CYST

8-12um long x 710um wide; ovoidshaped
Young cyst has 2
nuclei; Mature cyst
has 4
Flagella is retracted
into axonemes
Has a median body
and deeply stained
curved fibrils
surrounded by a
tough hyaline cyst
wall

Giardia lamblia CYST

Giardia lamblia CYST

Giardia lamblia CYST

Giardia lamblia CYST

Giardia lamblia CYST

Median body

Axoneme

Giardia lamblia TROPHOZOITE

9-12 um long x 5-15 um
wide
Pyriform or teardrop
shaped, pointed
posteriorly, with a pair of
ovoid nucleus
Flagella: 4 pairs arising
from superficial organelles
in ventral side of body
Dorsal side is convex
Ventral side is concave
with large adhesive disc
for attachment

Giardia lamblia TROPHOZOITE

Giardia lamblia TROPHOZOITE

USE YOUR
IMAGINATION
Adjust the brightness and
contrast if malabo

Giardia lamblia TROPHOZOITE

2 Nuclei
Median body
Axoneme

REFERENCES

2B 2016
CDC
Dr. Belizario
2B 2019 for the Lab pictures