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Is Balantidium coli a trophozoite or cyst?
Is Balantidium coli parasitic?
How is Balantidium coli diagnosed?
Where does Balantidium coli live?
Diagnosis is based on detection of trophozoites in stool samples from symptomatic patients or in tissue collected during endoscopy. Cysts are less frequently encountered, and are most likely to be recovered from formed stool. Balantidium coli is passed intermittently and once outside the colon is rapidly destroyed. Thus stool specimens should ...
Living trophozoites and cysts are yellowish or greenish in color. [4] Transmission. Balantidium is the only ciliated protozoan known to infect humans. Balantidiasis is a zoonotic disease and is acquired by humans via the feco-oral route from the normal host, the domestic pig, where it is asymptomatic.
- B. coli
- Balantidiidae
Oct 23, 2023 · Trophozoites undergo encystation to produce infective cysts. Some trophozoites invade the wall of the colon and multiply; some return to the lumen and disintegrate. Mature cysts are passed in the stool and can remain viable for up to two weeks in the environment [ 8 ].
Balantidium coli exists in either of two developmental stages: trophozoites and cysts. In the trophozoite form, they can be oblong or spherical, and are typically 30 to 150 μm in length and 25 to 120 μm in width. It is its size at this stage that allows Balantidium coli to be characterized as the largest protozoan parasite of humans.
Balantidium coli is a normal inhabitant of the cecum and colon of primates, including human beings, and pigs. It is large (50 to 60 µm × 25 to 45 µm) and ciliated. Dogs with whipworm infestation may become infested after contact with infected pigs. In general, Balantidium is an opportunistic pathogen associated with enteric disease ( Fig. 7-177 ).
