Protozoa
Protozoa are single-celled, microscopic eukaryotic organisms that belong to the Protista kingdom.
They can be found in various environments, including soil, water, and as parasites within other organisms.
Some protozoa are harmless, while others can cause a variety of infections and diseases in humans and animals.
Protozoa have a complex structure, which includes a cell membrane, nucleus, and other organelles, allowing them to carry out various life processes, such as reproduction, metabolism, and locomotion.
Protozoan infections can be transmitted through different routes, including ingestion of contaminated food or water, contact with infected animals or humans, or through the bites of infected insects (vector-borne transmission).
Common human diseases caused by protozoa include malaria, amoebic dysentery, giardiasis, leishmaniasis, trypanosomiasis (African sleeping sickness and Chagas disease), and toxoplasmosis.
Anti-protozoal agents
Anti-protozoal agents are medications specifically designed to target and eliminate protozoan parasites in the human body.
They often work by disrupting essential life processes of the protozoa, such as cell membrane integrity, protein synthesis, DNA replication, or energy metabolism.
This ultimately results in the death of the protozoan parasites, leading to the resolution of the infection.
Different anti-protozoal agents target specific types of protozoa and are used to treat particular infections.
For example, antimalarial drugs are used to treat and prevent malaria caused by Plasmodium species, while antiamoebic agents are used to treat infections caused by amoebae, such as Entamoeba histolytica.
The choice of an anti-protozoal agent depends on the type of protozoan infection, the severity of the disease, and the patient's overall health.