Intestinal and Genital Flagellates

• coprozoites


  feces feeders
• Giardia lamblia in the duodenum and trichomonas vaginalis in the vagina erode the epithelial lining of their respective organs and evolve symptoms.
• Synonyms of Giardia lamblia

  Cercomonas intestinalis;  Giardia intestinalis; Mega stoma enterica; Giardia enterica
• Diseases of Giardia lamblia

  Giardiasis, Lambliasis
• Trophozoite of Giardia lamblia


  is pear-shaped, bilaterally symmetrical with a bored, rounded anterior and a tapering posterior.
• Trophozoite of Giardia lamblia measures from 9-21 u in length and 5-15 u in width. The dorsal surface is convex.
• sucking disc


  An ovoid concavity with raised margins that occupies about three-quarters of the flat ventral surface.
• (Giardia lamblia)

  At the anterior end, there are two nuclei, each with a large karyosome lying within the sucking disc. Below the nuclei running within the width of the trophozoite are two curved rods (parabasal body). There is a pair of thickened axonemes originating fro the blepharoplast above the nuclei.
• (Giardia lamblia)

  Four pairs of flagella arise from the ventral side of the body, two from the anterior end of the sucking disc, two from the mid portion of the sucking disc appearing as lateral flagella, another arises from the sucking disc, and a terminal pair from the end of the axostyle.
• The cysts of Giardia lamblia are ovoid measuring 8-12 microns. Young cysts have two nuclei while the mature cysts have four nuclei. In stained specimens the contents of the cyst ay shrink from the cyst wall, leaving a clear space. The axostyle is also prominently seen in cyst.
• Giardia lamblia is a parasite of the small intestine
• Infection is by ingestion of large viable cysts through contaminated food or drink. The cysts pass unharmed through the gastric juices of the new host and upon reaching the upper intestine undergo excystation. The trophozoite colonizes on the surface of the mucosa. They reproduce by binary fission. Encystation occurs in the large intestine with the dehydration of feces. Man is the natural host.
• In majority of infections. Giardia does not cause any damage. They do not invade tissues. In some cases the attachment of the sucking disc on the epithelial cells lining the duodenum provokes an intense inflammation, resulting in the secretion of the abundant mucus, flatulence, hyper peristalsis, steatorrheic stool due to prevention in the absorption of fats and dehydration. Most frequent symptom is the abdominal pain and persistent diarrhea, but occasionally this infection may cause celiac syndrome.
• Trophozoites of Giardia lamblia may not be found in stools unless it is persistently diarrheic or unless the individual has been given saline cathartic, because of their location in the intestine. Therefore, only cysts are found in the stools
• Metronidazole is the treatment for Giardia lamblia
• Synonyms of Trichomonas hominis


  Cercomonas hominis, Trichomonas confuse, Trichomonas intestinalis, Trichomonas fecalis
• All intestinal trichomonads irrespective of whether they have three, four or five anterior flagella are designated as Trichomonas hominis.
• Trophozoite of Trichomonas hominis


  pliable organism, assuming varied shapes. It usually measures 5-14u in length.
• Trophozoite of Trichomonas hominis

  There may be anywhere from 3-5 flagella, with most organisms possessing five. It has a large nucleus at the anterior portion end along the mid axis. A rather heavy costa forms the base of attachment for the undulating membrane that runs the length of the organism and trails off into a free flagellum.
• Study of suspected individuals by saline smears is the trophozoite of Trichomonas hominis is destroyed is distorted by the usual iodine stains and concentration procedures.
• Synonyms of Trichomonas tenax

  Trichomonas elongate, Trichomonas buccalis, Tetra trichomonas buccalis
• Trichomonas tenax


  It is a pyriform flagellate known only in the trophozoite stage
• Trophozoite of Trichomonas tenax measures 5-15 u in length, is smaller than T. vaginalis. It possesses flagella of equal length and the fifth one on the margin of the undulating membrane.
• The main habitat of Trichomonas tenax is the mouth of man particularly in the tartar of the teeth. The trophozoite divides by binary fission of the nucleus and longitudinal division of the body.
• Although the exact method of transmission is not known, exposure results from droplet spray of the mouth, kissing, or common use of contaminated dishes and drinking glasses.
• T. tenax is not pathogenic. It is a harmless commensal of the mouth, living in the tartar of the teeth, in cavities of carious teeth, in the necrotic mucosal cells, in the gingival margins of the gums and in pus pockets in tonsillar follicles. It is quite resistant to changes in temperatures and will survive for several hours in drinking water.
• Synonyms of Trichomonas vaginalis

  Trichomonas vaginalis, Trichomonas vaginae
• Diseases of Trichomonas vaginalis

  Trichomonad vaginitis, Trichomoniasis
• Trichomonas vaginalis resembles T. hominis in morphology except however, T. vaginalis is usually larger and its undulating membrane does not exceed the entire length of the body. The cytoplasm contains large amounts of siderophil granules.
• The normal habitats of Trichomonas vaginalis are the human vagina and the prostate gland. In the female the organism typically feeds on the mucosal surface of the vagina, ingesting bacteria and the leukocytes, and at times being phagocytosed by the macrophages.
• Trichomonas vaginalis prefers a medium slightly alkaline or somewhat more acid than that of a healthy vagina.
• Trichomonas vaginalis divides by longitudinal binary fission
• Trophozoite


  the infective stage of T. vaginalis
• T. vaginalis is transmitted through sexual intercourse
• Once outside the body, the trophozoite of T.vaginalis is destroyed by temperature above 40 C , by drying and direct sunlight. In water the trophozoite dies in half an hour so that infection while bathing in swimming pools is not possible.
• Men


  the ones responsible for the spread of parasitism of T. vaginalis
• A high percentage of men are asymptomatic carriers and are the ones responsible fo the spread of parasitim. T, vaginalis is specific for man.
• (T.vaginalis) Infection in male is usually asymptomatic although at times it is associated with a non specific urethritis.
• (T. vaginalis) Symptoms may be slight in some female patients but quite serious in others and particularly in expectant mothers and women with other gynecological complaints.
• The cardinal sigh is vaginal discharge in the form of leukorrhea accompanied by vaginal itching and burning. The urethral discharge is characteristically yellowish frothy, Frequent micturition is common and the vaginal mucosa may be hyperemic.