Protozoa from tissues
Leishmania spp.
Naegleria fowleri
Toxoplasma gondii
Trichomonas vaginalis
Trypanosoma spp.
Leishmaniasis
• Leishmania infantum, Leishmania donovani,
… in macrophages of man.
• Female sandflies: Phlebotomus spp.,
Lutzomia spp.,...
• Cutanous, visceral leishmaniasis (Kala-azar).
• Fever, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia.
• Serology - parasitological examination of
bone marrow aspiration.
(A. Van Gompel et al., T v G, 1997)
Courtesy CDC
Leishmania sp.
Numerous ovoid to round small (2-6 μm) parasites in a bone
marrow aspirate. In some parasites the typical rod shaped
kinetoplast is seen beside the nucleus (May-Grünwald-Giemsa
stain).
Leishmania sp.
Ovoid to round small (2-6 μm) parasites in a bone marrow
aspirate. In the three parasites the typical rod shaped kinetoplast
is seen beside the nucleus (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain).
Leishmania sp.
Ovoid small (2-6 μm) intracellular parasite in a bone marrow
aspirate. The typical rod shaped kinetoplast is seen beside the
nucleus (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain).
Leishmania infantum
Ovoid small (2-6 μm) parasites in a bone marrow
aspirate. The typical rod shaped kinetoplast is seen
beside the nucleus (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain).
Leishmania tropica
Promastigotes (leptomonas) in rosettes in a culture of
an orient sore on N.N.N. medium (Giemsa stain).
Leishmania tropica
Promastigotes (leptomonas) in rosettes in a culture of
an orient sore on N.N.N. medium (Giemsa stain).
Baghdad-boil, 2004
• Walter Reed Army Medical Center,
Washington.
• Several hundred US soldiers in Iraq.
• Mostly cutaneous, but also visceral forms.
Naegleria fowleri
Typical ameboid trophozoites with one nucleus with a
large central nucleolus (endosome) (Hematoxylin).
Toxoplasma gondii
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Coccidium of the cat (principal host).
Oocysts in contaminated food (eg. vegetables).
Cysts in meat (scheep, …)
Adenopathy.
Congenital disease.
Staining (MGG), culture, PCR.
Serology (IgG, IgM, IgA, …)
Courtesy CDC
Toxoplasma gondii
In ascitic fluid of a mouse. Crescentic trophozoites.
One end is more pointed than the other (Giemsa stain).
Toxoplasma gondii
These trophozoites from ascitic fluid of the mouse
were made visible with immunofluorescence
(Antiserum coupled with fluorescein isothiocyanate).
Trichomonas vaginalis
Several trophozoites mobile by flagella in a vaginal
smear. They are slightly larger than the
polymorphonuclear white blood cells (Unstained).
Trichomonas vaginalis
Trophozoite with flagella in a vaginal smear, slightly
larger than polymorphonuclear white blood cells
(Unstained).
Trichomonas vaginalis
Several trophozoites with one nucleus and flagella in a
vaginal smear. They are slightly larger than the
polymorphonuclear white blood cells (Gram stain).
Trichomonas vaginalis
Several trophozoites with one nucleus in a vaginal
smear. They are slightly larger than the
polymorphonuclear white blood cells (Gram stain).
Trichomonas vaginalis
In culture diluted with blood. Shown here are the short
undulating membrane and the axostyle. Size 10 to
18µm (Osmium acid-Giemsa stain).
African trypanosomiasis
• West-Africa: Trypanosoma gambiense
Glossina spp.- chronic “sleeping sickness”.
• East-Africa: Trypanosoma rhodesiense
Glossina spp. - high fever.
• Diagnosis: thin and thick film, examination
of CSF (parasites, IgM …), serology, ...
Courtesy CDC
Trypanosoma brucei gambiense
Slender form, 30 μm long, with kinetoplast, central nucleus,
undulating membrane and long free flagellum. This form is the
usual in the smears of the peripheral blood of patients with
sleeping sickness (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain).
Trypanosoma brucei gambiense
Slender form, 30 μm long, with central nucleus, undulating
membrane and long free flagellum. This form is the usual in the
smears of the peripheral blood of patients with sleeping
sickness (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain).
Trypanosoma brucei gambiense
Long and short forms. The stumpy form is
approximately 18 μm long and does not have a free
flagellum (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain).
Courtesy CDC
Trypanosoma cruzi
• Chagas’ Disease in Central and South
America.
• Reduviid bug (Triatoma, ...)
• Fever, heart, megacolon.
• Diagnosis: thick and thin film,
xenodiagnosis, serology ...
Trypanosoma cruzi
Small, plump trypanosome (20 μm) with a
curved body and short, pointed rear end. Thick
protruding kinetoplast (May-Grünwald-Giemsa
stain).
Trypanosoma cruzi
Small, plump trypanosome (20 μm) with a
curved body and short, pointed rear end. Thick
protruding kinetoplast (May-Grünwald-Giemsa
stain).
Trypanosoma cruzi
It is unusual to find these trypomastigotes in a
thin blood smear. Shown here are the large
protruding kinetoplast and the position in Cform (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain).
Trypanosoma cruzi
In a thick blood film these trypanosomes also
show their prominent kinetoplast and C-shape
(Giemsa stain).
Triatoma infestans
South American “kissing bug” vector for
Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease.
Courtesy CDC