Among the simplest organisms there are many parasites of animals and humans.The parasitic protozoa that cause the most serious and common diseases are listed below.
Dysenteric amoeba
The dysenteric amoeba resembles the common amoeba, but is smaller and has shorter and wider rhizomes.It enters the human digestive system through the mouth in the cyst stage.In the colon, the amoeba exits the cyst and feeds on bacteria without harming the person.Subsequently, this simple organism begins to penetrate the intestinal wall, feed on red blood cells and become a parasite.Ulcers form in the intestines that deplete the human body.The disease amoebic dysentery or amebiasis occurs.
The dysenteric amoeba can enter the blood and reach the liver.And here the parasite leads to the formation of purulent ulcers.
Forming cysts, amoebas leave the human body with undigested food residues.Light cysts spread easily.If you don't wash your hands and food, you can get infected.
Plasmodium malariae
Plasmodium is a parasitic protozoan.Some species of Plasmodium cause malaria in humans.Plasmodium malaria is transmitted by the malaria mosquito.During an insect bite, the plasmodium enters the blood of the host.Together with the blood, it reaches the liver, feeds there, grows and multiplies.Many plasmodia then re-enter the bloodstream and begin to parasitize the red blood cells, destroying them and releasing their waste products that poison the host.A person develops a fever and suffers from anemia.
If a person with malaria is bitten again by a malaria mosquito, the plasmodia will be transferred from the person to the mosquito.Plasmodium reproduces sexually in the mosquito's body.
Malaria is common in Africa.This is a very dangerous disease.Malaria is fought, among other things, by killing malaria-carrying mosquitoes.
Trypanosomes
The genus Trypanosomes consists of parasitic protozoa that have flagella (close to Euglena).Their main host is a vertebrate and their vectors are usually insects.Different representatives of trypanosomes cause different diseases in animals and humans.They parasitize mainly in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid.The most well-known and common disease caused by trypanosomes is sleeping sickness.
The carrier of sleeping sickness is the tsetse fly.This disease is typical of tropical Africa.Sleeping sickness develops in two stages: in the first weeks a person is tormented by fever and pain, after a month or more drowsiness, sleep and coordination disorders, changes in consciousness appear.The disease is easier to treat in the first stage.
Giardia
Giardia is a genus of flagellated parasitic protozoa.Intestinal lamblia causes giardiasis in humans and animals, in which the parasite lives in the small intestine.
A person becomes infected with Giardia by eating unwashed food containing Giardia cysts.After emerging from the cyst, the lamblia attaches itself to the intestine and feeds on digested food.
Leishmania
Leishmania is another genus of parasitic protozoa.They cause leishmaniasis in humans and many other animals.The vectors are mosquitoes.
There are different types of leishmaniasis associated with damage to different tissues of the body.One of them is the skin disease Pendensky ulcer.
Coccidia
Coccidia parasitize many animals, including worms, arthropods, and fish.They cause coccidial diseases that cause serious damage in livestock and fish farming.
Coccidia are established in the form of spores containing parasitic cells.
Coccidia include the genus Toxoplasma.Their representatives cause such a widespread disease in humans as toxoplasmosis.A person becomes infected from pets or poorly prepared meat food.Toxoplasma affects many organs, including the nervous system.