Lab 6: Other Protozoans

Ciliophora

Balantidium coli - Classification:

Balantidium coli

Largest protozoan and only ciliate known to affect humans. Has the ability to attack large intestine causing dysentery

Balantidiasis/ Balantidiosis/ Balantidial dysentery

Balantidium coli causes:

Pigs and Swine

Balantidium coli: Primary reservoir

binary fission

Balantidium coli: Asexual Reproduction -

Conjugation

Balantidium coli: Sexual Reproduction -

30 to 150 μm long and 25 to 120 μm wide

Balantidium coli: Trophozoite Stage - Size

Rotary and Spherical

Balantidium coli: Trophozoite Stage - Motility

Cilia

Balantidium coli: Trophozoite Stage - for locomotion

Cystotome

Balantidium coli: Trophozoite Stage - Oral apparatus (Acquires food)

Cytopyge

Balantidium coli: Trophozoite Stage - Waste excretion (Rounded posterior end)

Macronucleus

Balantidium coli: Trophozoite Stage - Nucleus (vegetative and asexual reproduction)

Micronucleus

Balantidium coli: Trophozoite Stage - Nucleus (sexual reproduction)

Osmoregulatory organelles

Balantidium coli: Trophozoite Stage - Two contractile vacuoles

40 to 60 μm in diameter

Balantidium coli: Cyst stage - Size

Non-Motile

Balantidium coli: Cyst stage - Motility

Thick cell wall

Balantidium coli: Cyst stage - Double cyst wall → Retracted cilia:

Row of cilia is found between cell walls

Balantidium coli: Cyst stage - Young cyst

No cilia

Balantidium coli: Cyst stage - Mature cyst

Blastocystis hominis

Formerly classified as yeast. Inhabitant of lower intestinal tract.

binary fission/ sporulation

Blastocystis hominis: Reproduction - Asexual

1. Vacuolated

2. Multiple fission

3. Granular from

4. Ameba-like forms

5. Avacuolar

6. Cyst

Blastocystis hominis: May assume in these morphological forms:

Ingestion of cyst from contaminated food or water, Fecal-oral route

Blastocystis hominis: Mode of Transmission

Ingestion of food and/or water contaminated with Balantidium coli cyst.

Balantidium coli: Mode of Transmission

Cyst stage

Balantidium coli: Infective stage

4-5 days

Balantidium coli: Incubation period

Several weeks

Balantidium coli: Cyst viability

hydraluronidase

Balantidiasis/ Balantidial dysentery: Lytic enzyme ____________ ; produced by the trophozoite

Rounded base with wide neck

Balantidiasis/ Balantidial dysentery: Ulcer -

flask-shaped narrow necked

In contrast to the ___________ ulcers of amebiasis.

1. Direct examination

2. Concentration techniques

3. Sigmoidoscopy

Balantidium coli: Lab Diagnosis

1. Tetracycline

2. Metronidazole

3. Doxycycline

4. Nitazoxanide

Balantidium coli: Treatment

Blastocystosis

Can cause abdominal cramps, IBS, bloating, flatulence, mild to moderate diarrhea without fecal leukocytes or blood

1. Direct examination

2. Concentration techniques

3. Permanent slides (Hematoxylin Stain and Trichrome Stain)

4. Culture (Boeck and Drbohlav’s media & Nelson and Jones media)

Blastocystis hominis: Lab DIagnosis

1. Metronidazole

2. Iodoquinol

3. TMP-SMX (Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole)

Blastocystis hominis: Treatment

WBC’s and Yeast Cells

Artifacts confused with B. hominis: _________ and _________

External transmission

Blastocystis hominis: Cyst → Thick-walled

Reinfraction

Blastocystis hominis: Cyst → Thin-walled

Vacuolated

Blastocystis hominis: Morphological form → Most predominant form; causes diarrhea. Spherical. Large central vacuole: reproductive organelle pushes, the cytoplasm and nuclei (two to four) to the periphery