Protozoa

Protozoa are unicellular eukaryotes that may develop

into cysts in harsh environmental conditions. The main
divisions of protozoa are shown in Figure 4.7. Protozoa
species may be capable of replicating intracellularly or
extracellularly. The most important protozoal disease
worldwide is malaria, which is caused by the Plasmodium
species.
Identification of protozoa often occurs by microscopy
of patient specimens. Specimens include faeces,
blood and tissue. Culture methods are not routinely
applied for identification purposes.