Entamoeba histolytica Essays -- Essays Papers

Entamoeba histolyticaGeneral DescriptionEntamoeba histolytica is an ameba that feeds on cells in the human colon. It is the cause of amebic dysentery (bloody diarrhea) as well as colonic ulcerations. The infection is also referred to as amoebiosis. If the beingnesss spread throughout the eubstance via the bloodstream they may cause abscesses in the liver or, less frequently, new(prenominal) organs.MorphologyThe organism has two forms. The cyst is round and 10-20 micrometers in diameter, and contains quartet nuclei when mature. It is resistant to desiccation and stomach acid, and can survive long large(p) in the environment to be spread to some other humans. When the cyst reaches the large intestine, it excysts and the four nuclei present in the cyst become four signalize amebae, each of which undergoes binary fission immediately thus the ingestion of a single cyst leads to 8 trophozoites. The trophozoite, 10-60 micrometers in diameter, is the active form of the organism and it is in this form that the damage is done to the body. In 1994 the CDC recorded 2,983 cases of amebiasis in the United States. TransmissionE. histolytica is spread by the fecal-oral route. This is achieved through diet or water contaminated with cysts, oral-anal sexual contact, or occasionally in a flash in childcare centers or institutions for the developmentally challenged. The disease is found removed more frequently in people from developing countries or travelers to such(prenominal) areas than in developed countries.VirulenceDamage is caused by the lysis of epithelial cells, overdue in part to the insertion of pore-forming proteins into the membrane of the cell. Neutrophils and non-activated macrophages may also be killed and ingested by the organism, limiting the ability... ...that brings about a mucosal immune chemical reaction could be effective. However, the lack of projected profit limits the interest of pharmaceutical and biotech companies. Sanitation and hygiene are effective controls but often cannot be applied in many poor nations. Until a vaccine is created and distributed, Entamoeba histolytica result remain an important disease in mortality rates, especially among children in developing countries. Referencespharmacy school info on metronidazole and other treatments of amebiasishttp//rxweb.nlu.edu/pharmacy/414/antiprotozoals.htmCDC MMWR from march 08 1985http//www.cdc.gov/epo/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/00000498.htmGeneral infohttp//gsbs.utmb.edu/microbook/ch079.htm population Health Org cost-effectiveness study on treatment of asymptomatic carriers with metronidazolehttp//www.who.int/dap-icium/posters/4p1_text.html