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INFECTIOUS AGENTS AND PARASITES
PARASITES


Introduction

All protozoa are unicellular eukaryotic organisms which store their genetic information in chromosomes in a nuclear envelope. Protozoa are classified depending on their structure and life cycle. This reflects the similarities of the diseases which they cause.

Protozoa usually range from 10μ-50μ but can grow up to 1mm. Thus, they are usually observed and classified using a microscope.

Protozoa multiply sexually, asexually and can also use a combination of both, for example, the coccidia class. Replication can be by binary or multiple fission. Different protozoa use different forms of motility, either flagella, cilia, pseudopodia or gliding.

Protozoa of Veterinary Importance

Coccidia

Tissue cyst-forming coccidia

Piroplasmida

Cryptosporidium

Babesia


Leishmania involved in skin infections