Killer Protists
By: Brandon Bargas
Malaria
Transmission- This disease is passes on by a female Anopheles Mosquito. Whenever they suck the blood of an infected human the disease mixes with their system and gets into their saliva. The next time they feed on another human that human gets infected.
Symptoms- The first stage of these attacks is the development of chills. Moderate to severe shaking chills may be accompanied by a headache, general Stage 2 is a fever. It typically develops within an hour or two of initial symptoms and may cause hot and dry skin. Stage 3 causes sweating, this causes feelings of extreme fatigue and weakness.
African Sleeping Sickness
Transmission- This is transmitted to humans through the bite of the tsetse fly. Whenever a human is bitten this passes into its bloodstream. The parasite soon infects the humans cerebrospinal fluids. It then invades the central nervous system.
Symptoms- The symptoms include fever, headaches, pain in joints. This is followed by a phase when the parasite infects the central nervous system, causing confusion, lack of coordination, and uncontrolled sleepiness. Without treatment, the host will die
Chagas Disease
Transmission- This is transmitted by an insect called a triatomine bug. It first becomes infected by feeding on the blood of an infected person or animal. Then whenever it feeds on a non-infected animal it passes the disease onto them.
Symptoms- This disease has two stages of diseases, the acute and chronic stages. The acute symptoms can include fever, fatigue, body aches, headache, rash, loss of appetite, diarrhea, and vomiting. The chronic stage attacks the nervous system, digestive system, and heart. The infected experience dementia, confusion, chronic encephalopathy, sensory and motor defects.
Entamoeba Dysentery
Transmission- These cells live on food or in water, until eaten or drunken by a human. This is more common with people who live in unsanitary conditions. It then lives in the intestines of the infected human. They are able to burrow through the intestinal wall and can spread through the blood stream infecting other organs.
Symptoms- symptoms include abdominal cramps, abdominal tenderness, bloody stools, faigue, exessive gas, fever, vomiting, and diarrhea.