Protozoa from tissues

Leishmania spp.Naegleria fowleriToxoplasma gondii

Trichomonas vaginalisTrypanosoma 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

• 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 gambienseLong 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 cruziSmall, plump trypanosome (20 μm) with a

curved body and short, pointed rear end. Thick protruding kinetoplast (May-Grünwald-Giemsa

stain).

Trypanosoma cruziSmall, plump trypanosome (20 μm) with a

curved body and short, pointed rear end. Thick protruding kinetoplast (May-Grünwald-Giemsa

stain).

Trypanosoma cruziIt is unusual to find these trypomastigotes in a

thin blood smear. Shown here are the large protruding kinetoplast and the position in C-

form (May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain).

Trypanosoma cruziIn 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 CDCCourtesy CDC