Demonstration Sheets for Flagellates (Lab 9)
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[Figures & page numbers refer to Roberts & Janovy, 2009, 8 ed.]
Phylum Eugenozoa; Subphylum Kinetoplasta; Class Trypanosomatidae; Section
Stercoria (= fecal transmission)
Trypanosoma lewisi
Early infection showing many dividing individuals. This species infects mice and
is used extensively in research as it is fairly easy to maintain. Undulating membranes,
nuclei, and kinetoplasts should be visible. See Fig. 2, C & D on handout and Fig. 5.15,
p. 76. You will not be expected to distinguish between species of Trypanosoma by only
looking at the microscope slide.
Wards 4341, 40X
Phylum Arthropoda; Class Insecta or Hexapoda; Order Hemiptera; Family Reduviidae
Chaga’s Disease Vector Rhodnius prolixus
Vector for Trypanosoma cruzi. “True bugs (i.e. Those that belong to the order
Hemiptera.) can be recognized by the thick basal and membranous apical portions of
the front wings the presence of a piercing/sucking beak. “The kissing bug”, seen here,
feeds at night and often bites people near their mouth, hence the name. This species is
not found in the United States.
Chaga’s disease infects people in South and Central American including areas
of Mexico that border the U.S. Armadillos and other reservoir hosts do harbor the
parasite in the southern U.S., but currently an insect vector that bites humans is not
present in the U.S. Physicians treating Central American immigrants should be aware of
the symptoms of the disease.
92W 6450, Dissecting scope
Phylum Eugenozoa; Subphylum Kinetoplasta; Class Trypanosomatidae; Section
Stercoria (= fecal transmission)
Trypanosoma cruzi Trypomastigote stage
Agent causing Chaga’s Disease. Found in the blood of humans and other
mammals. (Fig. 5.8; p. 71).
92W 4300, oil
Uninfected Heart Tissue
This slide is to be used for comparative purposes and to help you identify
Trypanosoma cruzi in the adjacent demonstration. Be able to distinguish between a
blood vessel containing healthy red blood cells and a pseudocyst of T. cruzi that
contains amastigotes. The pseudocyst will be inside a muscle fiber while the blood
vessel in surrounded by endothelium and muscle fibers
H1790, 40X
Phylum Eugenozoa; Subphylum Kinetoplasta; Class Trypanosomatidae; Section
Stercoria (= fecal transmission)
Trypanosoma cruzi Amastigote stage
In cardiac muscle. See Fig. 4, Y on handout and Fig. 5.10 (p. 73) in your text.
Wards 4303, 40X
Phylum Arthropoda; Class Insecta or Hexapoda; Order Diptera; Family Muscidae
Glossina Sleeping Sickness Vector
This is the infamous tsetse fly, the vector for the organisms causing African
sleeping sickness: Trypanosoma brucei brucei, T.b. rhodesiense, & T.b. gambiense.
See Fig. 5.5, p. 65. The T. brucei complex are blood parasites of African ruminants
such as zebras and antelope and are not pathological to mammals native to Africa.
They do produce fatal infections in European livestock.
The tsetse fly and T. brucei have until recently prevented humans from
converting the tropical jungles of Africa to ranchland. (See Fig. 5.6, p. 66.)
Consequently, many areas of central Africa have ecosystems with large predators such
as lions, leopards and hyenas because of the fly and its symbionts.
Turtox P9.6891, Dissecting scope
Uninfected Human Blood
This slide is to be used for comparison with the adjacent example. The blood is
stained with Wright’s stain. Cells with purple nuclei are healthy white blood cells and
are NOT manifestations of a parasitic disease.
CBS 46455, 40X
Phylum Eugenozoa; Subphylum Kinetoplasta; Class Trypanosomatidae; Section
Salivaria (= hypodermal transmission)
African Sleeping Sickness
Trypanosoma brucei gambiense Trypomastigote form
CBS PS310, 40X
Uninfected Human Skin
This slide is to be used to help you identify Leishmania tropica seen in the
adjacent demonstration.
Ward’s 93W 7001, 10X - 40X
Phylum Euglenozoa; Subphylum Kinetoplasta; Class Trypanosomatidae
Leishmania tropica Oriental Sore or Baghdad Blot
This slide shows the parasites in vertebrate skin tissue. Only the amastigote form
is found in humans and other vertebrates. This is a zoonotic disease commonly carried
by dogs. The vector is a biting sand fly within which the promastigote form is found.
Tropical Biological (mounted reversely), Leishmania tropica #3, 10X - 40X
Phylum Retortamonada; Class Diplomonadea
Giardia intestinalis Trophozoite stage
Mobile physicians commonly have to treat people for this intestinal parasite
following a camping vacation or a trip outside of the United States.
Without special lighting the flagella are not easily seen on our slides, therefore
the examples you see in lab will only vaguely resemble the figures in your text (Figs.
6.4. 6.5 & 6.6 (pp. 91-92). The trophozoite is easily distinguished from other intestinal
protozoans by the presence of adhesive discs (seen most clearly in ventral view). From
this angle, the two nuclei with their nucleoli give the organisms the appearance of a
face.
PS 210, oil
Phylum Parabasalia, Class Trichomonada
Trichomonas vaginalis
It is transmitted by sexual activity and is found in the reproductive tracts of men
and women. Sometimes the only symptoms may be a white discharge with may be
overlooked by the infected individual.
92W 4273, oil
Termite Flagellates
Termites cannot digest cellulose by themselves, but are assisted by many
species of mutualistic flagellates that live in the intestinal tract and convert the substrate
into sugars that are used by the hosts. Some of the flagellates harbor mutualistic
bacteria that assist in the break down the cellulose. Not all the flagellates consume
cellulose; some are predators. Thus, the gut of a termite contains its own ecosystem.
PS 340, 10X