医学原虫概述

一、Protozoa: unicellular animals; Microscopic in size; have all necessary life activities.

二、Taxonomy

Kingdom: Protista>Subkingdom:Protozoa

三、Basic structure

1 Cell membrane

2 Cytoplasm

organelles: pseudopodium(-dia-amoeba); flagellum(-lla-flagellate); cilium(cilia-ciliate)

3 Nucleus: two kinds of nuclei: vesicular; compact

四、Characteristics of Pathogenesis

1 proliferation

2 Diffusion (disperse)3 Opportunistic parasitosis

五、Ecological Niches in the Human Body:

1. Skin: Leishmania
2. Eye: Acanthamoeba
3. Mouth: Amoebae and flagellates (usually non-pathogenic)
4. Gut: Giardia, Entamoeba (and invasion to liver), Cryptosporidium, Isospora, Balantidium
5. G.U. tract: Trichomonas
6. Bloodstream: Plasmodium, Trypanosoma
7. Spleen: Leishmania
8. Liver: Leishmania, Entamoeba
9. Muscle: Trypanosoma cruzi
10. CNS: Trypanosoma, Naegleria, Toxoplasma, Plasmodium