para

• Phylum Sarcomastigophora


  Amoebae and Flagellates
• Amoebae


  • Foot-like projections in the cytoplasm
  • Pseudopodia
• Flagellates


  • Presence of whip-like Fagella
• Ameboid characteristics


  • Cortical zone of undifferentiated ectoplasm
  • Presence of pseudopodia
  • Locomotory structure
• Important amoebae in humans

  • Entamoeba
  • Naegleria
  • Acanthamoeba
• Commensal Entamoeba species


  • Entamoeba coli
  • Entamoeba hartmanni
  • Entamoeba dispar
  • Entamoeba moshkovskii
  • Entamoeba gingivalis
  • Endolimax nana
  • Blastocytis hominis
  • Iodamoeba biitschlii
• Pathogenic Entamoeba


  Entamoeba histolytica
• Entamoeba polecki


  • Zoonotic protozoan of pigs and monkeys
  • Commensal in humans
  • Asymptomatic
  • Causes diarrhea
• Free living Protozoans


  • Naegleria
  • Acanthamoeba
• Genus Entamoebae


  • Vesicular nucleus
  • Comparatively small karyosome near its center
  • Peripheral chromatin - nuclear membrane
• All Entamoeba species are distinguishable except E. histolytica, E. dispar, E. moshkovskii, E. hartmanni
• Methods to differentiate E. histolytica, E. dispar, E. moshkovskii

  • Isoenzyme analysis
  • Restriction fragment length polymorphism
  • Typing with monoclonal antibodies
  • PCR
• E. hartmanni


  • Small race of E. histolytica
  • Small size
• Entamoeba species


  • Entamoeba histolytica
  • Entamoeba dispar
  • Entamoeba moshkovskii
  • Entamoeba hartmanni
  • Entamoeba gingivalis
  • Entamoeba polecki
• Other intestinal amoebae


  • Iodamoeba butschii
  • Endolimix nana
• Free living amoebae


  • Naegleria fowleri
  • Acanthamoeba spp.
  • Balamuthia mandrillaris