Protozoa

Protozoa

unicellular

occur singly or in colony

formation
 Protozoa

Sarcomastigo
Apicomplexa Cilliophora
phora

Mastigophora
(flagellata)

Sarcodina
(pseudopodia)
 Morphology
 All produce trophozoites; some produce cysts
 Nutrition
 Obtain nutrients by phagocytizing bacteria,
decaying organic matter, other protozoa, or
the tissues of host
 Few absorb nutrients from surrounding water
 Movement
 Pseudopodia, amoeboid movements
(Sarcodina)  bulging outward along their
edges
 Cilia (Cilliophora)  hair-like projections
on the surface of their body
 Flagella (Mastigophora)  whip-like
projection
 Many Protozoa are permanently attached
to the surface
 Reproduction
 Most reproduce asexually only
(binary fission or schizogony)
 Few also have sexual reproduction
Reproduction: asexual
Reproduction: sexual
 Transmission:
 Direct
 Through food and water after an
extracorporeal existence.
 Pathology and Symptomatology:

 Protozoa, in contrast to worms, multiply in

their hosts, so disease can result from
infection initiated by only a few organisms.
Routes by which humans acquire parasitic
infections

Figure 23.1
Entamoeba histolytica
Giardia lamblia
Trichomonas vaginalis
Plasmodium sp
Toxoplasma gondii
 Hydrocephalus
 Retinocorioditis
 Mental retardation