Among the dangerous organisms that settle inside the person and harm his health, parasitic protozoa occupy a significant place. These are unicellular animals that have adapted to existence at the expense of others. They are quite numerous, allot about 30 different species of individuals that specialize specifically in humans. It is even more found in the organisms of other vertebrate and invertebrate animals.
Parasitic protozoa: structural features
Externally and internally, these organisms have exactly the same structure as all other unicellular organisms. They have only one structural unit, but it is able to perform all the vital functions necessary for normal life. Namely:
- grows and develops;
- multiplies;
- eats;
- breathing
- has irritability and irritability;
- moves around.
Therefore, we can say with confidence that parasitic protozoa are completely independent, integral living organisms. Their differences from all other unicellular ones are that they have lost the digestive vacuole due to the parasitic lifestyle, as well as the contractile one. In addition, organelles of movement are most often deprived.
They breed fast enough, asexually. The mother cell simply, upon reaching maturity, breaks up into several daughter cells. They lead an independent lifestyle immediately after education.
How do parasites eat in the host? It depends on the individual characteristics of each species, but mainly their food - blood or intestinal contents. They absorb substances throughout the surface of the body due to the reduction of vacuoles.
Classification and representatives of simple parasites
Classify the various representatives of the organisms in question as follows.
Protozoa leading a parasitic lifestyle| Class | Representatives |
| Sporoviki | malarial plasmodium, coccidia, gregarines, pyroplasmids |
| Rootfoot | dysenteric amoeba, intestinal, oral amoeba |
| Flagellates | Trichomonas, Giardia, trypanosomes, Leishmania |
| Ciliates | balantidium |
All these organisms are the cause of protozoal diseases of a person. All of them are very dangerous life and health parasitic protozoa. The table includes only the most common representatives. In fact, there are more rare ones, there are a lot of them.
Leishmania
To date, the figure reflecting the number of people affected by this parasite is simply terrible - 12 million. This oval-shaped immobile intracellular representative of protozoa has a small flagellum. However, it moves very slowly and over short distances.
Settling inside the host cells, which for Leishmania is an insect and a mammal, including humans, they cause a gradual death of the structure. A person on the skin, in the place where Leishmania live, forms an open gaping ulcer, constantly rotting. This disease is called a rubber or Baghdad ulcer. It is treated very difficult and for a long time, with surgical intervention.
The unicellular mosquitoes of this group are transferred; therefore, foci of leishmaniasis are found in the countries of the tropics and subtropics.
Giardia
The class of parasitic protozoa, which include lamblia - Flagella. The most dangerous representative for people is intestinal giardia, which causes a dangerous disease - giardiasis.
Adults parasitize in the upper intestine. It is here that they absorb all the nutrients that people consume with pinocytosis. Also, this body is able to form cysts. In this condition, they may experience UV exposure and exposure to toxic substances. However, low and high temperatures are deadly for them.
Cysts are located in the colon, therefore, are excreted with solid waste products. Their infection occurs through dirt, water. Therefore, the rules of personal hygiene are especially important in the prevention of giardiasis.
What is the danger of this parasite? In the process of life, lamblia emits toxic decomposition products, which strongly poison the body from the inside.
Parasitic Roots
Different types of amoeba belong to this class:
- intestinal;
- dysenteric;
- oral.
These parasitic protozoa cause dangerous diseases in people, which in some cases can even end in death.
Dysenteric amoeba is a representative of hot countries. It is in them that she is the most common parasite. Its feature, like all amoeboid ones, is the absence of shell and skeletal formations. Therefore, she moves with the help of pseudopods. Propagated by simple division. Able to form cysts, also living in the human body. Within this structure, multiple division occurs.
Causes amoebiasis disease. The internal walls of the intestine are affected, on which amoeba leave bleeding ulcers. A person has bloody loose stools, pain inside the body. It is difficult to diagnose a dysenteric amoeba. Therefore, it is a very dangerous representative of parasites.
Unlike the considered form, intestinal amoeba is present in the body of almost every person and lives with him in harmony. It does not emit toxic substances and does not drill intestinal walls. Therefore, it does not cause special discomfort and harm to health.
Oral amoeba is an inhabitant of plaque and caries. It feeds on bacteria, can consume red blood cells. Its exact significance for humans is not yet clear.
Balantidium coli
This organism is a representative of the class of Ciliates. A fairly large oval single-celled organism that settles in the intestines of people. It is here that he assimilates and drills the wall of the organ, causing the appearance of bleeding, festering wounds. Cysts of this simplest easily fall into the bloodstream. So there is resettlement throughout the body.
How do parasites of this species eat? Just like other representatives. They absorb nutrients in the human intestines throughout the surface of the body. Propagated by asexual division into several cells. Forms cysts that also parasitize in humans.
Infection with protozoan cysts occurs when mucous membranes come in contact with dirty hands, when drinking raw water. The disease caused by these creatures is called balantidiosis. Accompanied by vomiting with blood, diarrhea, weakness, severe colic in the abdominal cavity.
Trichomonas
The parasitic protozoa living in the urogenital system of women and men. By themselves, they can not cause harm, but are a place of shelter for pathogenic bacteria and other pathogenic organisms. They are able to disguise themselves as human cells, therefore the immune system itself is not capable of destroying them.
The disease that directly causes trichomonas is called trichomoniasis. It is transmitted sexually and threatens infertility to both men and women.
Signs of the disease in children
The worst thing is when parasites appear in children. Symptoms of their occurrence are as follows:
- general weakness;
- fatigue
- pallor;
- headache;
- decreased appetite;
- bad sleep;
- irritability;
- loose stools;
- vomiting and others.
The most important thing is to pay attention to them and not let everything go by itself. Moreover, according to recent data, parasites in children are in the first place among the diseases. Symptoms are a sure sign that you should think and consult a doctor.