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Other Intestinal Protozoa 69
Treatment
No specific treatment is available for sarcocystosis. For myositis, albendazole, met-
ronidazole and co-trimoxazole have been used. Corticosteroids have been used for
symptomatic relief.
Prevention and Control
1. Ingestion of cooked beef or pork
2. Freezing meat at −5 °C for several days will kill the sarcocysts
3. Boiling of drinking water
Other Intestinal Protozoa
Blastocystis hominis
Distribution
It is globally distributed.
Habitat
It is a protozoa found in the large intestine of humans, belonging to the Stramenopiles.
Morphology
Blastocystis hominis has 4 morphological forms:
1. Vacuolated form is usually seen in stool specimen. It measures 8 μm in diameter
and is characterized by its large central vacuole, which pushes the cytoplasm and
the nuclei to the periphery (Fig. 7.9). It multiplies by binary fission.
2. Amoeboid form is polymorphous, slightly larger than the vacuolated form and is
occasionally seen in the faeces. It multiplies by sporulation.
Fig. 7.9 Blastocystis
hominis vacuolated
form
