Balantidium Coli Balantidiasis

•          It belongs to the Phylum Ciliopra of kingdom Animalia.

•          It is the only ciliated parasite pathogenic to humans?

•          The largest protozoan parasite found in the human body.

•           Mode of transmission: fecal-oral transmission (Food is borne/ Waterborne by cyst contain Fecal matter contains cyst)

•          Host: Human/ Pigs/Horses/Cattles

•          Other animals act as a reservoir for the parasite. Pigs are the most significant reservoir hosts

•          Therefore it is a zoonotic disease. 

               

        Life cycle:

      ·         After human is infected by a cyst of Balantidium coli through foods or water, cysts exocyst in the small intestine.

     ·         Trophozoites feed and multiply aid in binary fission.

     ·         They penetrate the gut wall and make ulcers.

     ·         Some of trophozoites return into the small intestine and go to the large intestine with the food stream.

     ·         They secrete cyst wall in order to serve in the dry condition of the large intestine.

     ·         Cysts are released through the fecal matter to the environment.

            

                 ·         Symptoms:

§  Diarrhea

§  Weight loss

§  Dysentery

            ·         Prevention:

§  Wash hander after going to the toilets before the meal.

§  Vegetables are washed and cooked properly because heat can kill cysts of Balantidium coli.

             § Drinking water is boiled properly. 

References:

http://www.medicine.uodiyala.edu.iq/uploads/lectures/dr%20mohammed%20gasim/Lecture%205.pdf

             https://microbewiki.kenyon.edu/index.php/Balantidium_coli