Lophomonas blattarum cockroach parasite that causes uncommon pneumonia in humans
Lophomonas blattarum is a protozoan that parasites the intestinal tract of termites and cockroaches; It belongs to the supergroup Excavata, Parabasalia of first rank and Cristamonadida of second rank (1). They are unicellular, flagellated, free-living, symbionts and endosymbionts diners (2). L. blat...
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Universidad de Cordoba
2019-12-01
|
| Series: | Revista MVZ Cordoba |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://revistamvz.unicordoba.edu.co/article/view/e1948/2373 |
| Summary: | Lophomonas blattarum is a protozoan that parasites the intestinal tract of termites and cockroaches; It belongs to the supergroup Excavata, Parabasalia of first rank and Cristamonadida of second rank (1). They are unicellular, flagellated, free-living, symbionts and endosymbionts diners (2). L. blattarum is eliminated in the cockroach feces and as has been shown for other flagellated protozoa (3,4), and according to Martínez-Girón and Ribas (5) the organism develops cysts that can survive
in the environment if External conditions are adverse. Therefore, L. blattarum cysts could be inhaled
to the respiratory tract and with the right conditions of humidity, temperature and oxygen, they could suffer excystation. This last process is produced by contact with reducing agents, usually bile salts or digestive enzymes, although it can also occur spontaneously. This would produce free and therefore mobile trophozoites in the airway epithelium, which would probably affect humans through protease activated receptors (5), or by interaction with specific receptors in the respiratory tract. It
is proposed that the antigens penetrate the mucosa of the gastrointestinal tract by disruption and this in turn correlates with an allergic process, which is mediated by activated protease receptors (6). |
|---|---|
| ISSN: | 0122-0268 1909-0544 |