PROTOZOAN DISEASES

PROTOZOAN DISEASES

MALARIA

•   By a protozoan, Plasmodium. There are several species of Plasmodium with different
periods of incubation :

1.   Plasmodium Vivax

a Causes benign tertiary malaria. a Incubation period is 13-15 days. Q Fever recurrs after every 48 hours.

2.  Plasmodium Malariae

□    Causes quartan malaria.

□    Incubation period is 28-30 days.

□    Fever recurrs after every 72 hours.

3.  Plasmodium Falciparum

□    Causes malignant tertiary malaria.

□    Incubation period is 12 days.

□    Affects brain and recurrs every 36 hours. It is usually fatal.

4.  Plasmodium Ovale

a Causes mild tertiary malaria.

o Recurrs after every 48 hours. Incubation period is 14 days.

•     Disease spreads by certain species of Anopheles mosquito (only female anopheles).

•     Life cycle of Plasmodium is completed in 2 hosts :

1.      Man               : Primary Host

2.      F. Anopheles : Secondary Host

•     After incubation period, temperature of body rises with a feeling of chill, signs of headache and nausea. Then temperature falls (symptom : sweating). The above symptoms are repeated after every fixed hrs. depending upon the species.

•     Certain fishes like Cat fish, Gambusia and aquatic birds eat mosquito larvae.

•   Quinane, a product of Cinchona tree, is administered for Malaria.
KALA AZAR (Leishmaniasis)

•   Caused by Leishmania donovani. It is spread by sandfly (Phlebotomus) and
characterised by enlarged spleen and liver with high fever.

•   Kala azar is also known as dum dum fever.
GIARDIASIS

•               Caused by Giardia intestinalis (first parasitic protozoan known). It inhabits upper part
of small intestine (duodenum and jejunum)