What are the causes of balantidiasis?

Balantidium coli is an intestinal protozoan parasite that causes the infection called balantidiasis. While this type of infection is uncommon in the United States, humans and other mammals can become infected with Balantidium coli by ingesting infective cysts from food and water that is contaminated by feces.

Can protozoa cause fever?

Some individuals do not develop signs or symptoms. Those who do may exhibit explosive and watery diarrhea, fever, nausea, vomiting, cramps, loss of appetite, fatigue, and bloating. These symptoms may last for months without treatment.

What is the pathogenicity of Balantidium coli?

Balantidium coli is a large pathogenic ciliated protozoan that in rare instances infects humans and produces intestinal symptoms. B. coli has a worldwide distribution, and prevalence is highest in areas of poor hygiene and nutrition and where pigs and humans have close contact.

What does balantidiasis mean?

Balantidiasis is a rare intestinal infection caused by the bacterium, Balantidium coli, a single celled parasite (ciliate protozoan) that frequently infects pigs but on occasion (rarely) infects humans.

What are the symptoms of balantidiasis?

Common symptoms of Balantidiasis include chronic diarrhea, occasional dysentery (diarrhea with passage of blood or mucus), nausea, foul breath, colitis (inflammation of the colon), abdominal pain, weight loss, deep intestinal ulcerations, and possibly perforation of the intestine.

How is balantidiasis diagnosed?

Balantidiasis is diagnosed by microscopic examination of a patient’s feces. A stool sample is collected and a wet mount is prepared. Cysts or trophozoites can be detected in the feces.

What is the pathogenesis of protozoa?

Pathology. Protozoal infection results in tissue damage leading to disease. In chronic infections the tissue damage is often due to an immune response to the parasite and/or to host antigens as well as to changes in cytokine profiles. Alternatively, it may be due to toxic protozoal products and/or to mechanical damage.

Which bacteria causes fever and vomiting?

The CDC estimates that Salmonella bacteria cause about 1.35 million infections every year in the United States. This makes Salmonella one of the most common causes of foodborne illness. Salmonellosis usually causes symptoms like cramps, fever, and diarrhea.

What is Excystation and Encystation?

Encystation is the process of forming the cyst; this event takes place in the rectum of the host as feces are dehydrated or soon after the feces have been excreted. Excystation produces a trophozoite from the cyst stage, and it takes place in the large intestine of the host after the cyst has been ingested.

How are patients with balantidiasis diagnosed?

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.

How do you treat balantidiasis?

Three medications are used most often to treat Balantidium coli: tetracycline, metronidazole, and iodoquinol. Tetracycline*: adults, 500 mg orally four times daily for 10 days; children ≥ 8 years old, 40 mg/kg/day (max. 2 grams) orally in four doses for 10 days.

How do protozoa make us ill?

Protozoal infection results in tissue damage leading to disease. In chronic infections the tissue damage is often due to an immune response to the parasite and/or to host antigens as well as to changes in cytokine profiles. Alternatively, it may be due to toxic protozoal products and/or to mechanical damage.

What is the disease type of balantidiasis?

Disease definition. Balantidiasis is an infectious disease, rare in western countries. It is caused by Balantidium coli, a single celled parasite (ciliate protozoan) that is usually associated with intestinal infection in areas associated with pig rearing.

What is balantidiasis (Balantidium coli)?

Parasites – Balantidiasis (also known as Balantidium coli Infection) Balantidium coli, though rare in the US, is an intestinal protozoan parasite that can infect humans. These parasites can be transmitted through the fecal-oral route by contaminated food and water. Balantidium coli infection is mostly asymptomatic,…

What are the symptoms of Balantidium infection?

Balantidium Infection. Balantidium coli infection is mostly asymptomatic, but people with other serious illnesses can experience persistent diarrhea, abdominal pain, and sometimes a perforated colon. When traveling to endemic tropical countries, Balantidium coli infection can be prevented by following good hygiene practices.

How is balbalantidiasis diagnosed?

Balantidiasis can be diagnosed by laboratory testing of the stool. Immature B. coli parasites (trophozoites) are usually recoverable from the stool.