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Protozoan infections are responsible for diseases that affect many different types of organisms, including plants, animals, and some marine life. Many of the most prevalent and deadly human diseases are caused by a protozoan infection, including African sleeping sickness, amoebic dysentery, and malaria.
For example, the human body louse transmits the bacterium Rickettsia prowazekii which causes epidemic typhus. Although invertebrate-transmitted diseases pose a particular threat on the continents of Africa, Asia and South America, there is one way of controlling invertebrate-borne diseases, which is by controlling the invertebrate vector.
Main article: Human parasite Endoparasites Protozoan organisms Common name of organism or disease Latin name (sorted) Body parts affected Diagnostic specimen Prevalence Source/Transmission (Reservoir/Vector) Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and Acanthamoeba keratitis (eye infection) Acanthamoeba spp. eye, brain, skin culture worldwide contact lenses cleaned with contaminated tap water ...
The taxon 'Protozoa' fails to meet these standards, so grouping protozoa with animals, and treating them as closely related, became no longer justifiable. The term continues to be used in a loose way to describe single-celled protists (that is, eukaryotes that are not animals, plants , or fungi ) that feed by heterotrophy . [ 9 ]
A normal immune system will suppress the infection but the tissue cysts will persist in that animal or human for years or for life. In immunocompromised individuals, dormant cysts can be reactivated and cause lesions in the brain, heart, lungs, eyes, and other tissues. A fetus may be at risk if a pregnant woman without immunity becomes infected.
Tick-borne diseases, which afflict humans and other animals, are caused by infectious agents transmitted by tick bites. [1] They are caused by infection with a variety of pathogens , including rickettsia and other types of bacteria , viruses , and protozoa . [ 2 ]
As obligate intracellular parasites, they must live and reproduce within an animal cell. Coccidian parasites infect the intestinal tracts of animals, [2] and are the largest group of apicomplexan protozoa. Infection with these parasites is known as coccidiosis. Coccidia can infect all mammals, some birds, some fish, some reptiles, and some ...
All viruses are obligate intracellular parasites. Bacterial examples (that affect humans) include: Chlamydia, and closely related species. [14] Rickettsia; Coxiella; Certain species of Mycobacterium such as Mycobacterium leprae, that survive in phagocytes; Anaplasma phagocytophilum [b] [15] Protozoan examples (that affect humans) include: