Among the simplest organisms there are many parasites of animals and humans.The protozoan parasites that cause the most serious and common diseases are listed below.
Dysenteric amoeba
The dysenteric amoeba is similar to the common amoeba, but is smaller and has shorter, wider roots.It enters the human digestive system through the mouth in the cyst stage.In the large intestine, the amoeba emerges from the cyst and feeds on bacteria without harming the person.Subsequently, this simple organism begins to penetrate the intestinal wall, feeds on red blood cells and becomes a parasite.Ulcers form in the intestines, exhausting the human body.The disease amoebic dysentery, or amoebiasis, occurs.
Dysenteric amoeba can enter the bloodstream and reach the liver.Here too the parasite leads to the formation of purulent ulcers.
Forming cysts, amoebas leave the human body with undigested food remains.Mild cysts spread easily.If you don't wash your hands and food, you could become infected.
Malaria plasmodium
Plasmodium is a protozoan parasite.Some species of Plasmodium cause malaria in humans.The carrier of the malaria plasmodium is the malaria mosquito.During an insect bite, the plasmodium enters the host's bloodstream.Along with the blood, it reaches the liver, where it feeds, grows and multiplies.After this, many plasmodia re-enter the bloodstream and begin to parasitize red blood cells, destroying them and releasing their waste, which poisons the host.A person develops a fever and suffers from anemia.
If a person with malaria is bitten again by a malaria mosquito, the plasmodium will now be transferred from the person to the mosquito.Plasmodium reproduces sexually in the body of a mosquito.
Malaria is common in Africa.This is a very dangerous disease.Malaria is combated, among other things, by destroying the mosquitoes that transmit malaria.
Trypanosomes
The genus Trypanosomes consists of parasitic protozoa that have flagella (close in relation to Euglena).Its main host is a vertebrate animal, and its carriers are usually insects.Different representatives of trypanosomes cause different diseases in animals and humans.They parasitize mainly in the blood and cerebrospinal fluid.The most famous and common disease caused by trypanosomes is sleeping sickness.
The vector of sleeping sickness is the tsetse fly.This disease is typical of tropical Africa.Sleeping sickness develops in two phases: in the first few weeks the person is tormented by fever and pain, after a month or more drowsiness, sleep and coordination disorders and changes in consciousness occur.The disease is easier to treat in the first phase.
Giardia
Giardia is a genus of flagellated protozoan parasites.Intestinal lamblia causes giardiasis in humans and animals, in which the parasite lives in the small intestine.
A person becomes infected with giardiasis by eating unwashed food containing Giardia cysts.Having emerged from the cyst, the lamblia attaches itself to the intestine and feeds on digested food.
Leishmania
Leishmania is another genus of parasitic protozoa.They cause leishmaniasis in humans and many other animals.The carriers are mosquitoes.
There are different types of leishmaniasis associated with damage to various tissues in the body.One of them is Pendensky ulcer skin disease.
Coccidia
Coccidia parasitize many animals, including worms, arthropods, and fish.They cause coccidiosis diseases, which cause serious damage to livestock and fish farming.
Coccidia settle in the form of spores containing parasite cells.
Coccidia includes the genus Toxoplasma.Its representatives cause such a widespread disease in humans as toxoplasmosis.A person becomes infected from pets or from poorly prepared meat foods.Toxoplasma affects many organs, including the nervous system.