Human protozoan parasites, despite their tiny size, are one of the most dangerous microorganisms that can cause serious diseases.
General information about representatives of protozoa
The kingdom of Protozoa has a large number of representatives (about 15 thousand species), many of which are human parasites.
Another name for this kingdom, accepted in medicine and biology, is unicellular organisms.
These creatures consist of a cell of a certain shape, some can change it, the cell has organelles that maintain viability.Unicellular organisms have adapted to locomotion using cilia, flagella, or pseudopods.
Due to their small size and structural characteristics, protozoa can live even in the most protected tissues of the body.Parasites of the protozoan kingdom are causative agents of diseases of varying severity, some of which may even lead to death.
Getting rid of unicellular organisms is complicated by the fact that they can cover themselves with a protective shell (cyst) and wait for conditions unfavorable for their existence.
Classification of the simplest inhabitants of the human body
Unicellular parasites are divided into 4 categories, depending on the structure of the cell and the way of life.
Table "Classes and representatives of protozoan parasites"
| Class | Short description | representatives |
| Whippers | The cells are oval in shape, have a flagellum for movement, move forward with a cord, so they can penetrate deep into the liquid medium.Colonies of flagellates can reach 10 thousand individuals.Most species live in tropical and subtropical climates. | Leishmania, Giardia, Trichomonas, Trypanosoma. |
| Sardcodae (rhizopods) | The movements are carried out with the help of pseudopods and have a variable body shape. | Dysenteric amoeba |
| Sporozoans | They got their name because of the presence of a spore stage in their development.Located in tissues and cells, they can cause hepatitis or anemia. | Piroplasmas, Babesia, Coccidia, Plasmodium falciparum. |
| Kiliates | Move with the help of cilia, you can live attached or swim freely | Balantidium |
Depending on the location of localization, single-celled parasites are divided into 2 types:
- endogenous (live in internal organs and systems);
- exogenous (they choose the skin as their place of residence).
Human protozoan parasites can move throughout the body and infect various organs and tissues.
What diseases are caused by flagella and ciliates?
Class whippersnappers
- Leishmania causes cutaneous leishmaniasis (Pendinsky's ulcer) and visceral leishmaniasis, the former manifesting as constantly rotting ulcers on the body and the latter causing inflammation and bleeding.Leishmania enters the body through warm-blooded animals or mosquito bites and affects the skin, heart, kidneys, blood and bone marrow.
- Giardia, the causative agent of giardiasis, affects the mucous tissues of the intestines or gall bladder.After defeat, people begin to suffer from asthma, mental disorders (most often depression) and the skin dries up.Giardia is common in countries with warm climates.
- Trichomonas (depending on the habitat - oral, intestinal and genital or urogenital), causes trichomonas.After infection, a person feels itching in the area of the reproductive system and pathological discharge from the genitals is observed.The biggest risk of this disease is the high risk of developing infertility.
- The trypanosome causes African or American trypanosomiasis (the first is sleeping sickness, the second is Chags disease).It affects the lymph nodes (enlarge), cerebrospinal fluid, blood and spleen, causing the spleen and liver to malfunction, the patient to suffer from drowsiness and die.
Climate class
Balantidia is the causative agent of balantidia, which affects the mucous membrane of the colon.A clear sign of this parasite is diarrhea with mucus and blood.This disease often results in death.
What diseases are caused by rhizomes and spores?
Sporozoan order
- The malaria plasmodium enters the blood and liver and causes malaria.Symptoms of the disease are fever, chills or fever, central nervous system disturbances and possible death.It is transmitted by the bites of malaria mosquitoes and is transmitted by humans.
- The causative agent of toxoplasmosis is toxoplasma, which affects the central nervous system, digestive organs, muscle tissue and eyes.At first it appears without symptoms, then disturbances in the functioning of certain organs are observed.
class sardcode
Dysenteric amoeba is the causative agent of amoeba, affecting the mucous membrane of the large intestine and less commonly the bladder and skin.It may be asymptomatic or may present with vomiting, bloody diarrhea and low fever (up to 37.5 degrees).Symptoms appear 7-10 days after the amoeba enters the body.
Less common are the extraintestinal forms of the disease, which affect the liver, lungs or other organs.This disease is common in Asian and tropical countries.
Routes of infection
Single-celled parasites enter our body in different ways - through the skin or natural openings in the human body.
There are four main ways (pathways) of human infection with a parasitic disease:
- the contact-household route opens in case of unsanitary conditions and non-compliance with the rules of personal hygiene (during handshakes or use of household items, bathing in dirty water, cysts enter the human body and begin to develop), trypanosomes and trichomonas are transmitted through this route.
- through products contaminated with parasites (meat, especially wild animals, fish, dairy products), can be disinfected by heat treatment.An example of a disease transmitted in this way is toxoplasmosis.
- fecal-oral route: parasites leave the body with feces or vomit, then enter water, food, household items, the hands of the owner and through them into the body of a new carrier (this route of infection is especially common in children: contact with animals, eating unwashed fruits, playing in a dirty sandbox).
- contagious (malaria) – transmission of protozoan parasites through bites along with the carrier's saliva.
Much less often, parasites enter the body in the following ways:
- From the mother to the fetus during pregnancy, this route is called transplacental, since the parasites penetrate through the placenta.
- together with contaminated blood (blood transfusion and other medical procedures, injections, including drugs, during intimacy) - blood contact.
- during sexual intercourse - sexual tract.
Prevention of infection
To avoid infection with single-celled organisms, a person must follow some simple rules:
- correct heat treatment of fish and meat, milk control.
- You can eat only those products that have passed a sanitary inspection.
- Washing the fruit before eating and simply immersing it in water is not enough.you must wash them well and, if possible, pour boiling water over them.
- avoiding casual sexual contact.
- prevention of insect bites (use of special creams, mosquito nets).
- regular medical examinations for suspected infection and for prevention;
- increasing immunity, including the consumption of garlic, oranges, carrots, green tea, dried fruits, rice porridge.
- basic knowledge of which protozoa infect the human body and how they get there.
It is easy to follow these rules, the main thing is regularity.
Information on groups of parasites, examples of where single-celled parasites live, helps to prioritize among so-called preventive measures.
With proper prevention, and in case of illness - surgical treatment, parasites will not harm your body.