C H A P T E R

4
Visceral Protozoa I: Rhizopods
(Amoebae) and Ciliophorans

O U T L I N E

Amoebae 53 Iodamoeba bütschlii 64

Entamoeba histolytica 55 Endolimax nana 64
Life Cycle 56
Pathogenic Free-Living Amoebae 65
Epidemiology 58
Naegleria fowleri 65
Symptomatology and Diagnosis 60
Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia 66
Chemotherapy 61
Physiology 61 Microsporidians 67
Host Immune Response 61
Ciliates 68
Prevention 62
Balantidium coli 68
Entamoeba dispar 62
Life Cycle 69
Entamoeba hartmanni 62
Epidemiology 70
Entamoeba coli 63
Symptomatology and Diagnosis 70
Entamoeba polecki 63
Chemotherapy 70
Entamoeba gingivalis 63

AMOEBAE
This category of parasites consists of members of the phylum Rhizopoda. All species in
this phylum that are parasitic in humans are, for the most part, nonpathogenic or produce
only minor diseases with the exception of Entamoeba histolytica; however, they require special
emphasis in order to distinguish them from the potentially highly pathogenic E. histolytica
(Table 4-1). Such attention is amply justified since E. histolytica can produce extreme illness
and even death. Furthermore, since side effects from chemotherapy may be pronounced, it

Human Parasitology, Fourth Edition 53

DOI: 10.1016/B978-0-12-415915-0.00004-2 Ó 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.