Disease-causing Organisms

Introduction to Experiment

A disease is an abnormal condition that affects the human body and is transmitted by microorganisms or pathogens, which are harmful and can even cause death. This virtual lab experiment investigates the morphological traits, illnesses, and symptoms of four different creatures.

Experimental Procedure

The experiment involves the microscopic observation of four disease-causing microbes, including Entamoeba, Plasmodium, and ringworm fungus, as well as a visual examination of a preserved pathogen called Ascaris. Furthermore, the experiment addresses diseases and symptoms caused by these pathogens.

Based on the experiment, the details of the disease-causing organisms are given below:

Entamoeba Histolytica

Entamoeba histolytica is a small, unicellular protozoan endoparasite that infects the large intestine of humans. It can be seen under a microscope at the trophozoite stage, which is the active feeding and motile stage, with pseudopodia for movement and food acquisition. Amoebiasis occurs when consumed food or drink is contaminated with an infective stage known as the cyst, and symptoms include loose, mucous-filled faeces, stomach pain, spasms, fever, and chills.

Plasmodium Vivax

Plasmodium vivax is an endoparasitic protozoan that causes malaria by introducing pathogens through a female Anopheles mosquito. The pathogen’s life cycle includes the signet ring stage, which emerges during infection inside infected red blood cells. This stage occurs when merozoites develop into trophozoites and continue to develop into a ring-like structure known as the signet ring stage. As the infection progresses, there is a proliferation of sporozoites in the liver and red blood cells.

Trichophyton Rubrum

The fungus Trichophyton rubrum, also known as the ringworm fungus, has hyphae with a filamentous structure. Microconidia, which are immotile spores, and macroconidia, which are larger, cylindrical conidia, are the structures that cause infection. The fungus grows on skin, nails, and hair, causing skin diseases like ringworm, athlete’s foot, and nail fungal infections.

Ascaris Lumbricoides

Ascaris lumbricoides is a parasitic nematode worm known as the small intestine roundworm. It has a mouth, lateral line, excretory hole, cloacal aperture, genital aperture, anus, and a curved or straight tail. The female Ascaris possesses a genital pore and anus, whereas the male has a cloacal aperture, penial setae, and a curved tail. The pathogen causes ascariasis, which is transmitted through contaminated hands or food. Symptoms include constipation, diarrhoea, vomiting, anaemia, abdominal discomfort, exhaustion, weight loss, and muscular soreness.