Answer to the Parasite Case of the Week 758: Balantioides coli
This protozoan is the largest to infect humans, and is the only human ciliated parasite. It has circumferential cilia and a large macronucleus (not well appreciated in the slides here) which give it a striking appearance. Note the characteristic 'boring' (rotary) motility - nothing boring about this parasite!
Thanks again to our contributors, Professor Philippe Poirier, Dr. Céline Nourrisson, and Dr. Maxime Moniot, Parasitology-Mycology Department, National Reference Centre for Cryptosporidiosis, Microsporidia and Other Digestive Protozoa, Clermont-Ferrand Teaching Hospital, France.
1 comment:
The ciliate macronucleus is an insanely complex and wonderful structure:
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9391682/
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