Intestinal Apicomplexans
Dr. Saroj Kumar
Assistant Professor
FVAS, IAS, RGSC-BHU
Classification of Protozoa
Kingdom Animalia
Sub-kingdom Protozoa
Phylum Sarcomastigophora
Subphylum Mastigophora Trypanosoma, Leishmania,
(Flagelletes) Trichomonas, Histomonas,
Giardia
Subphylum Sarcodina (Amoeba) Entamoeba, Nagleria,
Acanthamoeba
Phylum Apicomplexa Eimeria, Toxoplasma,
Cryptosporidium, Plasmodium,
Babesia, Theileria
Phylum Ciliophora (Ciliates) Balantidum
Phylum Microspora Microsporidium, Encephalitozoon
PHYLUM: APICOMPLEXA
Class: SPOROZOEA
Subclasses:
COCCIDIA PIROPLASMIA
Order: PIROPLASMIDA
Order: Families:
EUCOCCIDIIDA
BABESIIDAE THEILERIIDAE
Suborders:
Babesia sp. Theileria sp.
ADELEINA EIMERIINA HAEMOSPORINA
Families: Families:
KLOSSIELLIDAE EIMERIIDAE CRYPOSPORIDIIDAE
HAEMOGREGARINIDAE
Eimeria sp., Cryptosporidium sp.
Klossiella sp. Isospora sp.,
Hepatozoon sp. SARCOCYSTIDAE
Tyzzeria sp.,
Wenyonella sp. Subfamilies:
TOXOPLASMATINAE SARCOCYSTINAE
Toxoplasma sp., Sarcocystis sp.
Besnoitia sp.
Suborders:
ADELEINA EIMERIINA HAEMOSPORINA
Families:
PLASMODIIDAE
Plasmodium sp.,
Leucocytozoon sp.,
Haemoproteus sp.
General Characteristics of Apicomplexa:
Members of this phylum bears Apical complex
Apical complex - A group of cytoskeletal structures and associated
membrane-bounded organelles found at the anterior end of zoites
It involved in attachment and penetration of host cell. Hence, also
k/a organelle for invasion of host cell
Apical complex contains
Conoid
Apical polar ring
Secretory organelles like
Rhoptries,
Micronemes and Dense granules
Apicomplexan organism contain single vesicular nucleus
Cilia & flagella absent (expect microgametes) and locomotion by
gliding movement
Both sexual and asexual stages are alternate during life cycle
All organisms are parasitic and cysts are present
Different Morphological stages
Zoite
◦ Tear-shaped (cylindrical with pointed anterior and blunt posterior)
◦ Sporozoite & merozoite stage
◦ Extra-cellular and invasive stages
Morphology of an apicomplexan zoite (https://link.springer.com)
Troph
◦ Trophozoite
◦ Amoeboid shapes
◦ Intra-cellular, metabolically active
“-ont”
◦ A group (bag) of zoites
B. Maturing trophozoite stage,
◦ Meront (= schizont), gamont C. Clustering of trophozoites
◦ Intracellular (https://doi:10.1017/S0031182013001637)
◦ result of endopolyogeny = multi-nuclear division followed by
cytoplasmic division
One mother cell produces multiple daughter cells
Also known as
◦ Merogony (= schizogony),
◦ Gametogony,
◦ Sporogony
Meronts containing many merozoites
(https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.12.004)
Life Cycle:
Asexual processes
◦ Sporogony results in to production of Sporozoites (infective stage)
◦ Merogony (=Schizogony) results in to production of Merozoites
Sexual Processes
◦ After Several merogony, Gametogony starts and results in Gametes
(microgametes & macrogametes) formation
◦ Syngamy of these gametes results in a Zygote and produce an oocyst (in
some group of sp.)
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org
