Ecological Parasitology
Lab 2: Flagellates Spring 2011
Flagellates
Classification Eukaryotes
Characteristics Flagellum (a) Binary Fission
Flagellates
• Three main types – “Gut dwellers”- direct transmisison – “Blood dwellers”- indirect transmission via
vectors (anterior and posterior) – “Macrophage dwellers”- indirect
transmission via vectors
More specialized and harmful
Gut Dwelling Flagellates
• Trichomonas vaginalis – No cysts – Causes vaginal
secretions and sterility if not treated
• Chilomastix mesnili – Cysts – Little harm mild
diarrhea
• Giardia lamblia – Common worldwide! – Cysts – Severe diarrhea,
chronic stomach problems
– Feeds on small intestinal villi
Trichomonas spp. T. vaginalis
axostyle- supportive structure made of microtubules attached to base of flagella parabasal body- organelle at base of flagellum from which grows the axoneme, or “skeleton” of the flagellum costa- structure that extends along base of undulating membrane
Chilomastix mesnili
blepharoplast- organelle at base of flagellum from which grows the axoneme, or “skeleton” of the flagellum cytostome- cell mouth
Giardia lamblia
axoneme- “skeleton” of cilia and flagella. parabasal body- organelle at base of flagellum from which grows the axoneme
Flagellates
• Three main types – “Gut dwellers”- direct transmisison – “Blood dwellers”- indirect transmission via
vectors (anterior and posterior) – “Macrophage dwellers”- indirect
transmission via vectors
More specialized and harmful
Blood and Macrophage Dwelling Flagellates
• Phylum/subphylum/class Kinetoplasta – Giant mitochondria, called kinetoplast – Kinetosome at base of flagellum (simliar to
basal body)
trypomastigote promastigote epimastigote amastigote
kinetoplast kinetosome
Blood Dwelling Flagellates
• Trypanosoma brucei (rhodesiense, gambiense) – African sleeping
sickness – Invades nervous and
lymphatic systems – Causes coma and
death Tsetse fly
kinetoplast
Blood Dwelling Flagellates
• Trypanosoma cruzi – Chagas disease – Invades tissues like
heart, esophagus, colon, peripheral nervous system
Triatoma
amastigote trypomastigote
Blood Dwelling Flagellates
• Trypanosoma equiperdum – Causes Dourine – Horses, donkeys – Sexually transmitted – No known vector – (slide with RBCs)
Macrophage Dwelling Flagellates
• Leishmania donovani – “Kala azar”- visceral
leishmaniasis – Slow, torturous death
Macrophage Dwelling Flagellates
• Leishmania tropica – Oriental sore-
cutaneous leishmaniasis
– Self-healing, but risk secondary infection