Protozoa information

Protozoa Protozoa are single-celled eukaryotes that ingest food (algae and bacteria) by and generally move via pseudopods (flowing extensions of the plasma membrane) or whip-like flagella. Most are too small to be seen with the naked eye, but can easily be found under a microscope. Protozoa reproduce by . The short video below provides more information and an illustration of protozoa. Animal-like Protista There are a number of protozoa that inhabit the gastrointestinal tract of humans. Most of these are harmless or cause only mild problems, but others cause serious disease. Many of the protozoa that infect humans are transmitted via the fecal-oral route, but others are transmitted via insect vectors (e.g., malaria and leishmaniasis), and trichomonas vaginalis is a sexually transmitted disease. Some have fairly complex life cycles that may include a cyst stage that enable the organism to remain dormant in the environment for a period of time until a new host is acquired (e.g., malaria). Four life cycles are shown below. Cryptosporidium Life Cycle Giardia Life Cycle Leishmaniasis Life Cycle Malaria Life Cycle Rogues Gallery of Protozoa that Infect Humans The table below provides illustrations and links to additional information for a variety of animal-like protozoa. Plant-like Protista There are also plant-like protista (algae) that are responsible for producing so-called " Toxic blooms can also be caused by certain bacteria, such as the Microcystis that from Lake Erie that ...

What is a protozoan infection? Protozoan infections are infections caused by microscopic one-celled organisms that were formerly classified in the Kingdom Protozoa. This terminology is discouraged in the modern biosciences but still encountered in medicine. They are an extremely diverse and unique group. Those that are infectious to humans may be classified into superclasses according to their mode of movement, for example: • Sarcodina – the ameba (for example, Entamoeba). These move by changing their body shape, forming extensions called pseudopods (“false feet”) • Mastigophora – the flagellates (for example, Giardia, Leishmania). These use flagella (slender, thread-like structures) like oars or to create waves to move • Ciliophora – the ciliates (for example, Balantidium). These have hundreds of tiny cilia (minute hair-like projections) that beat in unison to propel them forwards or backward • Sporozoa – these are immobile organisms (for example, Plasmodium, Cryptosporidium). These organisms are free-living or parasitic. They are found worldwide in most habitats. Infections range from symptomless to life-threatening depending on the species and strain of the parasite and the immunity of the host. How are protozoan infections transmitted? Protozoan infections are usually contracted by an insect vector or after contact with an infected substance or surface. For example: • Protozoa that live in the human intestine are transmitted to other humans through the fecal-oral route...

They exist as free-living organisms or as parasites. This makes this phylum a diverse group of unicellular organisms, varying in shape and size. Examples include: • • • • • Anatomy (Bodily Structure) Given that they are eukaryotes, protozoa are larger cells of between 10 and 100 micrometer in diameter (compared to prokaryotes) with a more complex structure. This means that they have a cell membrane which bounds the It's worth noting that There are also a number of organelles that are exclusive to protozoa, these include: • Trichocysts of Paramecium • Certain skeletal structures • Contractile Compared to other ciliates, the nucleus of protozoa is vesicular. As such, the chromatic is scattered resulting in a nucleus that is diffuse in appearance. However, this also varies from one to another. For instance, in the Protozoa also have in place locomotory structures such as pseudopodia, flagella and cilia which are used for movement. These structures are also surrounded by the plasma membrane. As well, the pellicle (outer surface of some like the Giardia) is rigid enough to support and maintain a distinctive shape while at the same time allowing for twisting and bending when moving. Classification of Phylum Protozoa Because of their diversity, protozoa present several problems when it comes to classification. They are considered to be under the sub-kingdom protista with more than 50,000 species being described as free-living (these are the type that do not directly depend on oth...

Protozoan infections are caused by a parasite called a protozoa, which are tiny, one-celled organisms that can live and multiply in the body. The different types protozoa have evolved to live in different parts of the body and the way you become infected with a protozoa is dependant on where in the body the protozoa lives. Intestinal protozoa infection is through the fecal-oral route whereby food or water that is contaminated is ingested, or there is person-to person contact with an infected person. For protozoa that live in blood or tissue these protozoa infections can be transmitted to other people by being bitten by infected insects such as mosquitoes and sandflies. Some protozoa inhabit the genital area and can be sexually transmitted by any form of genital touching. Examples of protozoa infections in humans: Intestinal protozoa Entameoba histolytica causes amoebiasis (amoebic dysentery) Cryptosporidium causes cryptosporidiosis Giardia lamblia causes giardiasis Blood-Tissue protozoa Plasmodium falciparum causes malaria Trypanosoma brucei causes sleeping sickness Trypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas disease Genital protozoa Trichomonas vaginalis causes Trichomoniasis Topics under Protozoan Infection • (25 drugs in 2 topics) • (10 drugs) • (4 drugs) • (4 drugs) • (12 drugs) • (14 drugs) • (49 drugs in 2 topics) • (4 drugs) Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. This mater...

This is a photomicrograph of a paramecium. NNehring/E+/Getty Images Protists reside under the Eukarya • Nutrition Acquisition Protists exhibit different methods of acquiring nutrition. Some are photosynthetic autotrophs, meaning that they are self-feeders and capable of using sunlight to generate • Locomotion While some protists are non-motile, others exhibit locomotion through different methods. Some protists have • Reproduction The most common method of reproduction displayed in protists is Diatom and Dinoflagellate Protists. Oxford Scientific/Photodisc/Getty Images Protists can be grouped according to similarities in a number of different categories including nutrition acquisition, mobility, and reproduction. Examples of protists include algae, amoebas, euglena, plasmodium, and slime molds. Protists that are capable of chlorophyll, a pigment which absorbs light energy for photosynthesis. Photosynthetic protists are considered plant-like protists. Protists known as dinoflagellates or fire algae, are plankton that live in marine and freshwater environments. At times they can reproduce rapidly producing harmful algae blooms. Some dinogflagellates are also This is an amoeba with finger-like pseudopodia (dactylopodia). These freshwater single-celled organisms feed on bacteria and smaller protozoa. They use their pseudopodia to engulf their food and for locomotion. Although the cell shape is extremely flexible, and most amoeba look 'naked' in the light microscope, SEM reveals...

Protozoans are simple organisms, or Protozoans are found all over the world, on land and in water. Protozoans living on land especially like moist soil. Some protozoans are A protozoan is just a single Protozoans have different shapes, but they all have some features in common. Like all cells, every protozoan is made up of a jellylike material called cytoplasm. Within the cytoplasm is at least one nucleus. The nucleus directs the functions of the cell. The cytoplasm also contains special organs that do certain jobs, such as digestion or making proteins. Some protozoans have hairlike or whiplike structures that help them move. Most protozoans reproduce themselves without a partner. Usually the nucleus pinches in the middle to create two halves. The halves pull apart with equal amounts of cytoplasm to form two separate organisms. • The same safe and trusted content for explorers of all ages. • Accessible across all of today's devices: phones, tablets, and desktops. • Improved homework resources designed to support a variety of curriculum subjects and standards. • A new, third level of content, designed specially to meet the advanced needs of the sophisticated scholar. • And so much more! Choose a language from the menu above to view a computer-translated version of this page. Please note: Text within images is not translated, some features may not work properly after translation, and the translation may not accurately convey the intended meaning. Britannica does not review t...

When you have an empty bottle, do you recycle it so the plastic or glass can be used again? Nature has its own recycling system: a group of organisms called decomposers. Decomposers feed on dead things: dead plant materials such as leaf litter and wood, animal carcasses, and feces. They perform a valuable service as Earth’s cleanup crew. Without decomposers, dead leaves, dead insects, and dead animals would pile up everywhere. Imagine what the world would look like! More importantly, decomposers make vital nutrients available to an ecosystem’s primary producers—usually plants and algae. Decomposers break apart complex organic materials into more elementary substances: water and carbon dioxide, plus simple compounds containing nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium. All of these components are substances that plants need to grow. Some decomposers are specialized and break down only a certain kind of dead organism. Others are generalists that feed on lots of different materials. Thanks to decomposers, nutrients get added back to the soil or water, so the producers can use them to grow and reproduce. Most decomposers are microscopicorganisms, including protozoa and bacteria. Other decomposers are big enough to see without a microscope. They include fungi along with invertebrate organisms sometimes called detritivores, which include earthworms, termites, and millipedes. Fungi are important decomposers, especially in forests. Some kinds of fungi, such as mushrooms, look like plants....