PROTOZOA

Classes of Protozoan:
1. Rhizopoda (Sarcodina) – possess fingerlike structure for locomotion and gathering of food known
as pseudopodia
2. Ciliata (Infusoria) – have hairlike structure known as cilia which covers the entire body for
locomotion
3. Mastigophora – oval or pyriform shape with two or more hairlike structure known as flagella
4. Sporozoa – characterized by the type of nucleus and their life cycle can be sexual or asexual cycle

Forms of Protozoa:
1. Trophozoite / vegetative form – active form of organism which enables them to nourish
2. Precystic form – gathered and utilized substances are thrown away
3. Cystic form – capable of reproduction by binary fission and is the infective stage of the
organism

RHIZOPODA:

CYST  MAN  CYST in GIT of MAN will undergo

(passed out in feces ) (ingest contaminated food) excystation ( SI )
^ I
^ I
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Lumen of Intestine
(will undergo encystation)

Entamoeba histolytica :
- Habitat is LI
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS cyst
- Trophozoite is sluggish, with a single eccentric nucleus with a central karyosome with halo-like
granules and linin network which radiates toward the periphery of nucleus; they also have
ingested RBC and vacuoles
- Cyst are round / ovoid with vacuoles, sausage shape chromatoidal bar which disappear as
they mature with 4 nuclei
- Lab dx: mucoidal stool with troph/cyst in DFS
Iodine stain
C/S to rice egg saline
Diamond media
Boecks media
Balamuths egg yolk infusion
- Pathogenesis : flask-like ulcer ( bec. Of the ferment-like substance secreted by the parasite )
Liver abscess, lungs, brain
Amoebic dysentery
Amoebic colitis
Entamoeba coli :
- Habitat is LI
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS cyst
- Trophozoite have blunt pseudopodia,slughish movement, nucleus with eccentric kayrosome
- Cyst is larger than E. histolytica, spherical or oval, up to 8 nuclei with eccentric karyosome,
splintered chromatoidal bar
- Lab dx: DFS
- Pathogenesis : non-pathogenic

Endolimax nana :
- Smallest intestinal protozoa
- Habitat is LI
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS cyst
- Trophozoite is sluggish, has a single small nucleus which contain chromatin largely clustered in
a single coarse, irregularly pleomorphic karyosome and with fine linin in between karyosome
and nuclear membrane
- Cyst has 4 minute nuclei, without chromatoidal bar and glycogen mass
- Lab dx : DFS
- Pathogenesis : non-pathogenic

Iodomoeba butschlii :
- Habitat is LI
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS cyst
- Trophozoite is sluggish, granular cytoplasm, single nucleus with a large compact karyosome
surrounded by a layer of achromatic granules
- Cyst is as large as the trophozoite with a single nucleus and large compact glycogen without
cheomatoidal bar, if stained the glycogen is dissolved and represented by a clear space
- Lab dx : DFS
- Pathogenesis : non-pathogenic

Entamoeba gingivalis :
- Habitat is tartar of teeth and gingival pockets
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS trophozoite
- Trophozoite have inclusion of food particles and RBC, nucleus is same as E. histolytica with
distinct central or eccentric karyosome
- No Cyst
- Lab dx : swabs / scrappings of gums and teeth
- Pathogenesis : non-pathogenic thru good hygiene
Dientamoeba fragilis :
- Habitat is LI
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS trophozoite
- Trophozoite is sluggish, has 2 nuclei, karyosome is arranged in a ring of 4-6 located at the
central point of nucelus
- No Cyst
- Lab dx : DFS ( they are delicate organism and they degenerate outside the body so immediate
examination of stool is required; they also have a life stage where they possess flagella )
- Pathogenesis : non-pathogenic

Blastocystis hominis :
- Often mistaken as amoebic cyst
- Its classification is not well settled because it is believed to be a fungus because of its
characteristics
- Appear as a cyst-like organism with 2-4 nuclei attached to cyst wall, it has a hollow central
colorless vacuole, upon staining it remains clear or faintly stained which is best seen in Iodine
stain
- Found in stool of individuals who never had history of diarrhea and its pathogenicity is
attributed to a foamy loose stool
 PATHOGENIC AMOEBA ( Free-living Amoeba )

Naeglaeria : N. fowleri
- Habitat is CNS
- Portal of entry is nose thru inhalation
- IS cyst
- Trophozoite is broad and has lobed pseudopods
- Has a stage where they possess flagella which is pear-shaped
- Cyst is thin walled
- Lab dx : amoeba in CSF / biopsy of specimen
- Pathogenesis : amoebic meningoencephalitis ( acute onset of disease )
Acanthamoeba : A. culbertsoni A. polyphaga
A. castellani A. astronyxis

- Portal of entry is skin lesion, direct invasion to eye and nasal mucosa
- IS cyst
- Trophozoite is larger and more sluggish than Naeglaeria with spiny pseudopods known as
acanthopodia
- They do not have flagellar phase
- Lab dx : amoeba in CSF / skin lesion
- Pathogenesis : Amoebic meningoencephalitis ( chronic onset of disease )
Cornel ulceration
Granulomatous infection of skin
 CILIATA

Balantidium coli
- Habitat is LI
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS cyst
- Trophozoite are sac-shaped with rows of cilia covering the body
--Anterior end has cytostome (for ingesting food) and a cytopyge (for excretion of
waste material)
--Granular cytoplasm with a large kidney shape macronucleus and subspherical
micronucleus and two contractile vacuoles
--they produce a rotary or rolling motion
--secretes enzyme which is hyalurunidase for invasion or penetration
- Cyst are oval shaped which contain macronucleus, vacuoles and cilia
- Lab dx : diarrheic stools / bloody stools in DFS
- Pathogenesis : abscesses
Diarrhea
dysentery

MASTIGOPHORA

I. Intestinal and Atrial Flagellates

Giardia lamblia
- Habitat is SI
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS cyst
- Trophozoite are resemble like the “old mans eyeglasses” / “smiling face protozoan”, they are
pear shape that anterior is broader with tapered posterior, ventral view is flat and dorsal view
is convex, ventral surface has concave disc used for attachment, there are two nuclei with
large central karyosome, the nuclear membrane is united with anterior blepharoplast by
means of a rhizoplast, it has an axostyle which divide the body longitudinally into equal parts
and two deeply staining bars known as parabasal bodies, they move rapidly with a jerky
twisting movement or falling-leaf motility; with 4 pairs of flagella as follows :
 1. Antero-lateral
2. Ventral
3. Postero-lateral
4. Caudal
- Cyst are oval shape has a cyst wall with 2-4 nuclei may be seen
- Lab dx : DFS
- Pathogenesis : diarrhea

Chilomastix mesnili
- Habitat is SI
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS cyst
- Trophozoite is pyriform shape, anterior is rounded while the tail end is blunt or tapered with 3
anterior flagella, the oval nucleus has an eccentric and small karyosome which has a fine linin
network, it does not have an axostyle but possess a spiral groove in the body, has an active
propelling forward with a jerky motion / “cork screw motility “
- Cyst is lemon shape, cyst wall is thin except at the narrow end which is slightly thickened, has
a single spherical nucleus located at the narrow or central portion of parasite which usually
shows a signet ring appearance, it also contain cytostome and flagellum which appear like a
safety-pin appearance
- Lab dx : DFS
- Pathogenesis : non-pathogenic
Trichomonas hominis / Trichomonas intestinalis
- Habitat is intestine
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS trophozoite
- Trophozoite is pear shape with slit like or comma shaped cytostome, they have a well
developed undulating membrane spirally at the dorsal surface up to the posterior end of the
body; they have 3 anterior flagella and the fourth extends to the postetior end of the body; it
produces a jerky motion
- No cyst
- Lab dx : DFS
- Pathogenesis : pathogenic only in heavy infection which causes diarrhea

Trichomonas vaginalis
- largest among the trichomonads
- Habitat is vagina and urethra of female, epidydimis and prostate of male
- Portal of entry is genitor urinary
- IS trophozoite
- Trophozoite is pyriform, nucleus is vesicular found anteriorly and has no visible karyosome,
the chromatoidal basal rod is as long as undulating membrane, cystostome is located
anteriorly and ventral to the origin of undulating membrane, they possess four flagella with
undulating membrane about 1/3 to full length of the body
- No cyst
- Lab dx : urine
Paps smear
Discharge
Prostatic secretions
- Pathogenesis : vaginitis
Urethritis
Prostatovesiculitis

Trichomonas tenax / T. Buccalis / T. elongata

- Habitat is mouth
- Portal of entry is mouth
- IS trophozoite
- Trophozoite is pear shape, nucleus is same as in T. vaginalis, it has 4 anterior flagella and the
undulating membrane occupying 2/3 to ¾ length of the body
- No cyst
- Lab dx : swab / scrapings of oral cavity
- Pathogenesis : occasional infection
Does not cause any disease

For All Trichomonas : they are transmitted by direct contact

: they are quite resistant and can live in feces and water for several days
and months