Parasitic Flagellates

Giardia intestinalis

 Most common diagnosed flagellate

in the human intestinal tract
 Has both tropic and cystic stage
 The living trophozite is rounded
anteriorly and pointed posteriorly
 Dorsally it is convex and ventrally
it is provided with shallow, slightly
notched concavity (sucking disc)
which embraces practically the
entire anterior of the organism
 Giardia intestinalis

 The pair of nuclei, one on each side of the midline about one fourth of the body length from
the anterior end are ovoid and contain a central karyosome consisting of a single dense
chromatin mass or a large number of relatively discrete nuclear membrane
 A pair of crossed flagella arises from the midline
 Giardia intestinalis, was discovered in 1681 by Leeuwenhoek, common in the small intestine, prevelance
rates vary 1-30%. Parasite has a pair of adhesive suckers which gives it a characteristic appearance.
 It attaches to the cells of the gut using the suckers and divides by binary fission, in this way
huge numbers can build up in the intestine. They are spread by resistant cysts, each of which
contains a pair of parasites, it is highly contagious. Causes diarrhoea, vomiting and loss of
weight, the parasite does not break down host cells, but the dense layer of parasites over the
surface of the intestine probably interferes with absorption and triggers the onset of disease.
Giardia is a traveller's disease, widespread in Eastern Europe, also outbreaks in the USA,
Aspen in Colorado, the ski resort.
Giardia intestinalis

 The picture at right shows multiple views of a

single Giardia lamblia (intestinalis) cyst as
imaged at different instrument settings by
confocal microscopy. (A) is the cyst imaged by
transmission (differential interference contrast),
only. (B) is the cyst wall selectively imaged
through use of fluorescent-labelled (TRITC)
antibody that is cyst wall specific. (C) is the cyst
imaged through use of carboxy fluorescein
diacetate, a viability stain. (D) is a composite
image of (B) and (C). (E) is a composite image
of (A), (B), and (C). Bar = 10 micrometres.
Under a normal compound light microscope,
Giardia often looks like a "clown face," with
two nuclei outlined by adhesive discs above dark
median bodies that form the "mouth." Cysts
have four nuclei.
 Giardia intestinalis

 The pair of nuclei, one on each side

of the midline about one fourth of
the body length from the anterior
end are ovoid and contain a central
karyosome consisting of a single
dense chromatin mass or a large
number of relatively discrete nuclear
membrane
 A pair of crossed flagella arises
from the midline
Trypanosome
 Trypanosome

 Gains access to man by

blood, lymph, lymph
gland, spleen, liver,
and brain
 Trypanosoma cruzi

 T. cruzi, found in the southern U.S.,

Mexico, and Central and South
America, causes symptoms similar to
those of African sleeping sickness.
Due to its location however, the
disease is named Chaga's disease or
South American trypanosomiasis.
 The most important mechanism of
transmission of T. cruzi to humans and
other mammals is throughout the feces
of infected triatomines. The vectors
of Chagas disease are insects of the
order Hemiptera, family Reduviidae
and subfamily Triatominae.
Trypanosoma cruzi
Chaga’s disease

 T. cruzi inhabits the guts of the

reduvid bug (panstrongylus
megistus) The ineffective
trypanosomes are passed with
the feces of the bug, which are
rubbed or scratched at the bite
wound of the host
 Tsetse fly

From genus Glossina

 Trypanosomiasis

 There are two types of

African
trypanosomiasis (also
called sleeping
sickness); each is
named for the region of
Africa in which they
are found.
 Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense
East African Trypanosomiasis

 caused by a parasite named Trypanosoma

brucei rhodesiense carried by the tsetse fly
 Its primary vectors are Glossina mortisans
and pallidipes
 If a person fails to receive medical treatment
for East African trypanosomiasis, death will
occur within several weeks to months.
 East African trypanosomiasis is found in parts
of Eastern and Central Africa, including
Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Malawi, Ethiopia,
Zaire, Zimbabwe, and Botswana. Areas where
infection is spread are largely determined by
the location of the infected tsetse fly and wild
animal population.
 Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense
East African Trypanosomiasis

 A bite by the tsetse fly is often painful

and can develop into a red sore, also
called a chancre. Fever, severe
 Symptoms begin within 1 to 4
headaches, irritability, extreme fatigue, weeks of getting an infected tsetse
swollen lymph nodes, and aching fly bite.
muscles and joints are common
 No one is immune from East
symptoms of sleeping sickness. Some
people develop a skin rash. Progressive African trypanosomiasis. Even if
confusion, personality changes, slurred you had the disease once, you can
speech, seizures, and difficulty in get re-infected.
walking and talking occur when
infection has invaded the central nervous
system. If left untreated, infection
becomes worse and death will occur
within several weeks or months.
 Trypanosoma brucei gambiense
West African trypanosomiasis
 also called Gambian sleeping sickness, is
caused by a parasite called Trypanosoma
brucei gambiense carried by the tsetse
fly.
 A bite by the tsetse fly is often painful.
Occasionally, within 1 to 2 weeks, the
infective bite develops into a red sore,
also called a chancre. Several weeks to
months later, other symptoms of sleeping
sickness occur. These include fever, rash,
swelling around the eye and hands,
severe headaches, extreme fatigue, aching
muscles and joints. You may develop
swollen lymph nodes on the back of your
neck called
Winterbottom's sign. Weight loss
occurs as the illness progresses.
Progressive confusion, personality
changes, slurred speech, irritability,
loss of concentration, seizures, and
difficulty in walking and talking
occurs when infection has invaded
the central nervous system. These
symptoms become worse as the
illness progresses. Sleeping for long
periods of the day and having
insomnia at night is a common
symptom.
 Characteristic swelling of cervical
lymph nodes commonly called
Winterbottom's sign.
 stage wherein Trypanosomes
multiply in the bloodstream and
lymphatic system and there are few
specific symptoms other than the
characteristic swollen cervical
lymph nodes
Trypanosoma brucei gambiense
West African trypanosomiasis
 Chilomastix mesnili

 The trophozoite is symmetrical with

the spherical nucleus situated
medially near the anterior end
 The cystome is well define, rounded
anteriorly and posteriorly with
median costriction
 The cytoplasm is granular
containing numerous food vacuoles
 The cysts are pear-shaped, rounded
at one and bluntly conical at the
other end
 The cyst wall is a broad extension at
one end forming a spade-like
projection
Chilomastix mesnili
Chilomastix mesnili

 C. mesnili is a normal inhabitant of

the caecal region where trophozites
live on enteric bacteria and multiply
by binary fission
 Cysts in water and food are direct
transmitting agents in the life cycle
of this parasite
 Chilomastix mesnili

 There is a single
nucleus and a curved
cytostomal fibril
called the shepherd's
crook. The image at
right is a trichrome
stain
Chilomastix mesnili

 The trophozoites of C. mesnili

are also pear-shaped and
measure from 6 to 24 µm in
length and 4 to 8 µm wide. The
single nucleus usually has a
prominent karyosome. The
anterior flagella are difficult to
see. The oral groove (cytostome)
is sometimes seen near the
nucleus. The image on the left is
an iron hematoxylin stain
(1000x).