MMB 1112

PROTOZOA

Lecturer:

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PROTOZOA
Are unicellular animals that occur singly or in
colony formation.

A complete unit capable of performing the

physiologic functions that in higher organisms
are carried out on by specialized cells.

For the most part they are free-living, but some

are parasitic, having adapted themselves to an
altered existence inside the host.
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Ameba Diversity
Most amoebas are harmless single cell protozoan
living in mud, water, and soil feeding on other
protozoan and bacteria.

Some species are parasitic/pathogenic and

endocommensals and are quite common inhabitants
of animals.

Amebiasis- The pathological condition of having an

amoebic infection.

-iasis- indicates a pathological condition

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Amoeba parasite in human
Entamoeba histolytica (pathogenic)
E. hartmanni (commensal)
E. coli (commensal)
E. gingivalis (commensal)
Iodamoeba btschlii (commensal)
Endolimax nana ( commensal)
Dientamoeba fragilis (commensal)

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1) Entamoeba histolytica
The most important and pathogenic intestinal amoeba.
This parasite is primarily a human parasite and is
transmitted from human to human.

Diseases: amebiasis, amebic dysentery, amebic hepatitis.

Usually acquired by ingestion of contaminated water or food

containing amebic cyst (oral),homosexual.

Life cycle consist of:

1) Trophozoite
2) Cyst
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Entamoeba histolytica

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Entamoeba histolytica
Active, feeding stage
Growing stage
Amoeboid with blunt
pseudopodia
Non-foamy cytoplasm
Uninucleated; nucleus
with fine peripheral
chromatin granules,
small central endosome
Trophozoite: 20-30 m

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Entamoeba histolytica Trophozoites

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Entamoeba histolytica
Dormant/resistant
stage
Spherical
1-4 nuclei, (4 in
mature cysts)
Bluntly rounded
Cyst:10-20 m
chromatoidal bars

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Entamoeba histolytica Cysts

Uninucleate cyst Binucleate cyst

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Entamoeba histolytica Cysts

Quadrinucleate or mature cysts

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LIFE CYCLE

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 Entamoeba histolytica Life Cycle

CYST: ingested with fecal

contaminated food or water.

Excystation occurs in the

small intestine in an alkaline
environment.

Metacystic amebas emerge,

divide and move down into
the large intestine.

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 Entamoeba histolytica Life Cycle
Trophozoites colonize the large
intestine and invade the
mucosa.

They live within the crypts and

mucosa of the large intestinal
lining.

Trophozoites may live and

multiply indefinitely within the
crypts of the LI mucosa feeding
on starches and mucous
secretions.
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 Entamoeba histolytica Life Cycle

Cysts form in response to

unfavorable (deteriorating)
environmental conditions, as
they move down the large
intestine.

They are released in formed

feces.

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 PATHOLOGY
PRIMARY ULCER
cause rupturing of
the bowel
Liver Abscesses

EXTRA-INTESTINAL
LESION AND
ABSCESS OCCUR
hepatic amebiasis
pulmonary
amebiasis
cerebral amebiasis 17
LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS

1) Stool examination
2) Blood examination
3) Serological test :
-Indirect hemagglutination assay (IHA)
-Enzyme linked immunosorbent assay
(ELISA)
-Indirect immunofluorescent (IFA)

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SYMPTOMS & TREATMENT

10% of people in the Current drug of choice

world infected with Metronidazole
ameba, but only 3% (Flagyl).
ever have some sort of
clinical signs. Side effects: Insomnia,
Abdominal discomfort. headaches, vomiting,
Intense pain localized intense vasodilation,
on the right side. mutations on bacteria,
Dysentery. and carcinogenic in
mice.
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 2) Entamoeba coli

Life cycle and location identical to E. histolytica.

Most common endocommensal in people.

Not pathogenic.

Feeds on bacteria and any other cells available

to it; does not invade tissue.

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Entamoeba coli

Trophozoite Cyst Nucleus

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10 m

Trophozoites 20-30 m
in diameter (15-50 m)

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 E. coli

A B

E. histolytica

C D

10 m
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3) Entamoeba gingivalis

Habitat: Mouth

Hosts: Humans, dogs and cats.

Prevalence is from 50 to 95%.

Stage:
-Trophozoite (active motility)

- NO CYST

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 Entamoeba gingivalis

Trophozoite lives on the surface of teeth and gums.

Feed on epithelial cells of the mouth, bacteria, food
debris, and other cells available to them.

Organisms are more common in persons with pyorrhea

(gum disease) but they are not the cause of the
condition.

Transmission mouth to mouth, droplet spray, or sharing

eating utensils.

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4) Endolimax nana
Second most common endocommensal of humans.

Lives in the large intestine mainly near the cecum and

feed on bacteria; non pathogenic.

Transmission :
Poor hygiene
Contaminated food/water

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5) Iodamoeba buetschlii
Not very common endocommensal in people (non-
pathogenic intestinal amoeba).

Lives in the large intestine.

Transmission :
Contaminated food/water
Hand to mouth

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6) Dientamoeba fragilis

LIFE CYCLE - it does not form cysts.

Trophozoites cannot survive passage through the
small intestine.

Humans probably get infected by this

endocommensal when they ingest pinworm eggs!

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Thank you.
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