Changes

==Recognition==

==Recognition==

''Leishmania spp.'' are ovoid shaped parasites containing a rod shaped 'kinetoplast'. The kinetoplast is associated with a rudimentary flagellum that does not extened beyond the cell margin. The position of the kinetoplast changes as the parasite changes between life stages. Once ingested by a [[Biting Flies#Psychodidae|sand fly]] the parasite takes the promastigote form and the kinetoplast moves the the posterior of the cell.

''Leishmania spp.'' are ovoid shaped parasites containing a rod shaped 'kinetoplast'. The kinetoplast is associated with a rudimentary flagellum that does not extened beyond the cell margin. The position of the kinetoplast changes as the parasite changes between life stages. Once ingested by a sand fly the parasite takes the promastigote form and the kinetoplast moves the the posterior of the cell.

   

   

==Life Cycle==

==Life Cycle==

The life cycle of ''Leishamania spp.'' requires transmission between mammalian (and occasionally reptile) hosts by a blood sucking fly. The [[Psychodidae|sand flies]] is the intermediate host, in the Old World the flies are of the genus ''Phlebotomus'' and in the New World they are of the genus ''Lutzomyia''.

The life cycle of ''Leishamania spp.'' requires transmission between mammalian (and occasionally reptile) hosts by a blood sucking fly. The [[Psychodidae|sand flies]] is the intermediate host, in the Old World the flies are of the genus ''Phlebotomus'' and in the New World they are of the genus ''Lutzomyia''.

The amastigote form which lacks a flagella is found in he vertebrate hosts [[Macrophage|macrophages]]. The amistgote is ingested by the sand fly whilst it feeds on the host, once ingested the ''Leishamnia'' will transform into the flagellated promastigote form in the insect gut. Replication by binary fission occurs in the insects gut followed by migration to the proboscis of the insect. The presence of ''Leishamnia'' in the insects proboscis allows innoculation of the next host on which the fly feeds with the ''Leishmania'' parasite. Crushing the sand fly on the skin of a mammal can allow percutaneous transmission.

 

The promastigote form which lacks a flagella is found in he vertebrate hosts [[Macrophage|macrophages]]. The amistgote is ingested by the sand fly whilst it feeds on the host, once ingested the ''Leishamnia'' will transform into the flagellated promastigote form in the insect gut. Replication by binary fission occurs in the insects gut followed by migration to the proboscis of the insect. The presence of ''Leishamnia'' in the insects proboscis allows innoculation of the next host on which the fly feeds with the ''Leishmania'' parasite. Crushing the sand fly on the skin of a mammal can allow percutaneous transmission.

 

Once inside the vertebrate host the ''Leishmania'' will invade the hosts [[Macrophage|macrophages]] and having done this revert to the amastigote form.

Once inside the vertebrate host the ''Leishmania'' will invade the hosts [[Macrophage|macrophages]] and having done this revert to the amastigote form.