Protozoan parasites in humans are the causative agents of protozoan (or protozoan) infections. These diseases are contagious, threatening serious complications and consequences. Therefore, protozoa require early diagnosis, accurate detection of the pathogen and proper treatment.
What are protozoan parasites?
This is a group of single-celled microorganisms that are unable to produce independent nutrients. In the process of life they use other creatures, causing them serious diseases. The most common human protozoan parasites are listed below:
- flagella - giardia, leishmania, trichomonas, trypanosoma;
- sarcodal - dysenteric amoeba;
- eyelashes - bursaria, balantidia;
- spores - malaria plasmodium, granules, piroplasms.
Trypanosome
The simplest parasite whose life cycle takes place in the body of an ungulate (infected) or infected person. Carriers are cheetah flies, which, when bitten by a person, inject saliva with protozoa into their skin.
On a note!
The introduction of about 400 trypanosomes is necessary for the development of the disease (African trypanosomiasis or sleep disease). With a cheetah fly bite, up to half a million people fall into the parasite.
Characteristics of parasitism and disease:
- Trypanosomes initially circulate in the bloodstream of an infected person, causing bumps on the skin (swelling of the face, eyelids), fever of up to 40 ° C, swollen lymph nodes.
- then the single-celled parasites migrate to the cerebrospinal fluid, causing drowsiness, iridocyclitis, chronic fatigue, lethargy, speech disorder, coordination.
- The advanced form of trypanosomiasis is characterized by limb spasms, seizures, nervous and physical exhaustion, respiratory paralysis, coma, and death.
The Romanovsky-Giemsa test, the immunofluorescence reaction, the enzyme immunoassay (ELISA), and the lymph node puncture are used to diagnose trypanosomiasis. Confirmation of the diagnosis is often made by inserting the blood of a patient into laboratory pigs. Treatment of sleep sickness involves taking special medications. In the absence of treatment with a high degree of probability, a fatal outcome of the patient is possible.
lamp
Tiny protozoa (synonyms - giardia or giardia) with four pairs of whips are complete circle parasites in the human body. Under certain conditions they cause the disease to spread. Giardia attach to the wall of the small intestine with a large sucker, often settling in the ducts of the liver, gallbladder and other internal organs.
On a note!
Protozoan infection occurs with food, water, in unhealthy conditions. Giardia cysts with embryos remain invasive in the environment for a long time (up to 3 months in fresh water, up to 4 months in sewage). The diagnosis of protozoa is made by microscopy of cysts and adults in feces, blood, detection of antibodies in the ELISA study.
Leishmania
These whipped protozoa cause leishmaniasis, which is common in tropical and subtropical countries. The infection occurs contagiously - when it is bitten by the saliva of blood-sucking insects, animals (dogs, squirrels). Mosquitoes, mosquitoes, flies, ticks can be carriers. There are two types of leishmaniasis in humans:
- skin and mucosal form (pendinskaya ulcer) - leishmaniasis lives and multiplies on human skin, causing inflammation, swelling, ulceration, food ulcers, airway damage.
- visceral form - leishmaniasis is installed in internal organs (spleen, liver, lungs, heart).
A characteristic sign of skin leishmaniasis is the formation of brown nodules (leishmaniasis) at the site of insect bites. They are then replaced by round, difficult-to-heal ulcers with purulent exudates. The disease persists for 1-2 years, leaving scars on the skin. In the visceral form, leishmaniasis causes dysfunction of the adrenal glands, kidneys, liver and spleen. When diagnosed with leishmaniasis, they are found in the bone marrow, lymph nodes, scraping skin and blood.
On a note!
Treatment of leishmaniasis includes quarantine measures, isolation of patients and medication.
Trichomonas
These are the simplest parasites of the human internal environment, which are transmitted sexually, through domestic contact or as a result of infection from mother to child. There are oral, intestinal and urogenital varieties of Trichomonas. Protozoa are the causative agents of trichomonas / trichomonas. Urogenital trichomoniasis of the urogenital system is widespread. The chronic form of the disease threatens with impotence and persistent infertility. Characteristics of Trichomonas parasitism:
- body size - up to 18 microns, moves fast due to moving whips.
- drug resistant, determining the chronic course of trichomonas.
- they die quickly in the environment, in the air, under the direct rays of the sun.
- stay for a long time on wet towels, sponges, towels, soap dishes.
- frequent infection during sexual intercourse vaginal, oral-vaginal type.
- Hair follicles contribute to the development of candidiasis, vulvitis, chlamydia, gonorrhea, cystitis.
The diagnosis of trichomonas involves the detection of Trichomonas in genital swabs. Treatment includes the use of drugs, treatment with antiseptics. Treatment is given to both partners to prevent recurrences. Prevention of urogenital hair loss includes measures recommended for all sexually transmitted diseases.
dysenteric amoeba
This sarcoid microorganism is a parasite that causes dangerous diseases in humans. There are two forms of amoeba dysentery - intestinal and extraintestinal (hepatic or pulmonary). The disease begins 7-10 days after infection with symptoms - bloody diarrhea, fever, vomiting.
If left untreated, the consequences of the amoeba develop - dehydration, exhaustion, weakness, internal bleeding, liver abscess. Infection occurs most often through the oral-fecal route. Carriers of amoeba cysts can be insects - flies, flies. At diagnosis, tissue forms of protozoa are found in the stool. The treatment of the amoeba is static, with the use of antibiotics.
Plasma malaria
Representative of the simplest spores, the causative agent of a dangerous disease - malaria. The human body serves as an incubator where the parasite life cycle takes place. Characteristics of parasitism:
- Infection with plasmodium sporozoites occurs when bitten by a malaria mosquito.
- Sporozoites enter the bloodstream through the saliva of an infected insect.
- the sporozoites settle in the liver, penetrate its cells (hepatocytes).
- Here the merozoites are formed by mitotic replication.
- When the hepatocytes are destroyed, the merozoites penetrate the erythrocytes.
- from merozoites as a result of the sexual cycle, gametocytes are formed.
- a mosquito becomes infected with gametocytes when bitten by an infected person.
- In a mosquito's body, gamete cells pass into oocysts and then into sporozoites.
- a mosquito infects a healthy person and the cycle repeats.
The destruction of erythrocytes and the release of gametocytes into the bloodstream is accompanied in humans by fever, vomiting, anemia, convulsions and joint pain. In severe cases, the risk of death increases. Malaria often takes on a recurrent character with phases of exacerbation and rest. Different protozoa cause tropical malaria, three-day and four-day. The main therapeutic and diagnostic factor is quinine - natural from gypsy or artificially synthesized.
Infusoria balantidia coli
This causative agent of balantidia (or injectable dysentery) lives in the large intestine, causing bleeding ulcers in its walls. Infection with protozoa occurs from domestic animals, mainly the carrier is a pig. Characteristics of anatomy and parasitism:
- the body of balantidia is oval with a dense, strong shell (peliki).
- on the surface there are many lashes that serve for movement.
- the sexual form of the parasite is essential for reproduction by simple fission.
- the asexual form (cysts) enters the environment with feces.
- The route of infection of humans with cysts is oral-fecal.
The resettlement of protozoa in the intestines is accompanied in humans by headache, vomiting and indigestion. The acute stage of valerianization is manifested by a feverish state, signs of severe poisoning, loose stools with blood clots. In the absence of timely treatment, a fatal outcome is possible.
Toxoplasma gondii
Tiny crescent-shaped spore protozoa from the coccidial order are widespread in the environment. They are the causative agents of the disease - toxoplasmosis. In healthy people, the parasites that are swallowed are destroyed by the cells of the immune system. Characteristics of the disease caused by protozoan parasites in humans:
- often toxoplasmosis is asymptomatic, after recovery, immunity develops.
- The parasite affects the organs of vision, the reproductive, the nervous, the lymphatic system, the liver, the spleen.
- during pregnancy, toxoplasmosis causes serious congenital pathologies in the fetus or its death.
- the acute form progresses with convulsions, paralysis, hepatic hypertrophy, heart problems.
- in chronic course, heart dysfunction is possible, damage to the organs of vision.
The main hosts of protozoa are felines. Huge Toxoplasma colons form in their body from oocysts. Humans are intermediate hosts, contaminated with food, contact-household or oral-faeces.