Protozoal infection

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Classification according to ICD-10
B50 Malaria tropica caused by Plasmodium falciparum
B51 Malaria tertiana caused by Plasmodium vivax
B52 Quartana malaria due to Plasmodium malariae
B53 Other parasitologically confirmed malaria
B54 Malaria, unspecified
B55 Leishmaniasis
B56 African trypanosomiasis
B57 Chagas disease
B58 Toxoplasmosis
B59 Pneumocystosis
B60 Other protozoan diseases, not elsewhere classified
B64 Unspecified protozoal disease
ICD-10 online (WHO version 2019)

A protozoan infection , also called protozoonosis or protozoal disease , is understood to mean the active or passive penetration of protozoa (single-celled animals) into an organism, their reproduction there and the subsequent reaction of the organism in the form of a disease. If at least one of the three characteristics is missing, it is called an infestation . The most well-known protozoal diseases include malaria , toxoplasmosis , sleeping sickness , kala-azar and Chagas disease . The intestinal parasites include the protozoa Balantidium coli (causative agent of the Balantidiass), Giardia intestinalis and Trichomonas intestinalis .

Routes of infection

Some protozoa are ingested through contaminated food and initially or exclusively attack the intestines . Contaminated toilets are also frequent routes of transmission via droplet infection, especially with Trichomonas species. Trichomonas vaginalis is also, but not exclusively, transmitted by sexual intercourse and affects cells in the lining of the urogenital area and occasionally the intestines. Other protozoa are transmitted by insect bites in tropical countries and initially attack cells in the blood . From there they can then reach their various other target organs.

For a general system of possible routes of infection, see infection and route of infection .

diagnosis

For diagnosis it has in Toxoplasma gondii -specific antibodies after. This can then also be used to determine the patient's immune status . Most protozoa can, however, easily be recognized in a sample of the affected body fluid (stool, blood, vaginal secretions) under the microscope . To do this, a smear is made on a glass slide and a suitable color is added (usually Giemsa color ). Complicated and lengthy immunological and molecular genetic detection methods ( ELISA , PCR ), such as for viral infections and many bacterial infections , can usually be dispensed with with these relatively large and sometimes mobile creatures .

Dangerous protozoa

Toxoplasma gondii can harm the unborn child if the initial infection occurs during pregnancy . For diagnosis, the immune titer is determined and, if necessary, treated with an antiprotozoal .

If left untreated, tropical protozoa can lead to organ damage in the long term.

Prevention

For prevention , we recommend hygiene or repelling the relevant insects with mosquito nets , mosquito candles and repellants .

therapy

For the therapy is suitable for many protozoa metronidazole , significantly more effective is tinidazole .

In the case of plasmodia ( malaria ), the therapy depends on the infecting species. While previously effective drugs such as chloroquine are becoming less important due to the development of resistance , artemisinin- based combination therapy is now the most effective form of treatment in most cases.

Infections in humans by protozoa by route of transmission

Contaminated food:

Insect bite:

Intercourse:

Protozoa infections in domestic animals

literature

  • Karl Wurm, AM Walter: Infectious Diseases. In: Ludwig Heilmeyer (ed.): Textbook of internal medicine. Springer-Verlag, Berlin / Göttingen / Heidelberg 1955; 2nd edition, ibid. 1961, pp. 9-223, here: pp. 160-177 ( Protozoenkrankheiten ).
  • Hans Adolf Kühn: intestinal parasites. In: Ludwig Heilmeyer (ed.): Textbook of internal medicine. Springer-Verlag, Berlin / Göttingen / Heidelberg 1955; 2nd edition ibid. 1961, pp. 834-841, here: pp. 840 f. ( Protozoa ).

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Tindamax site of Mission Pharmacal Company, accessed March 22, 2013.
  2. ^ World Health Organization: Guidelines for the treatment of malaria . Third ed. Geneva 2015, ISBN 978-92-4154912-7 .