Question

A protozoan disease is
A. Sleeping sickness
B. Kala-azar
C. Malaria
D. All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Parasitic diseases that are caused by organisms in the kingdom Protozoa are called protozoan infections. They are usually transmitted either through an infected substance or through an insect vector.

Step by step answer: Sleeping sickness, kala-azar and malaria are examples of protozoan diseases.
i. Sleeping sickness is also known as African Trypanosomiasis. It is caused by microscopic parasites of species Trypanosoma brucei. It is transmitted via the fly ‘tsetse’ which is seen only in sub-Saharan Africa. There are two subspecies to this parasite that cause a very distinctive pattern to humans.
ii. Kala-azar: It is called visceral leishmaniasis. It is spread by the sandfly bites. It mainly affects the internal organs, normally the liver, bone marrow, and the spleen. Some people may not even have symptoms. For a few of them, symptoms may vary like fever, swelling of the spleen, liver, and weight loss. Some medications kill the parasite.
iii. Malaria: Malaria is an infectious parasitic disease that results in a wide variety of symptoms which ranges from mild fever to death. In general, malaria can be diagnosed and treated correctly.
Hence the correct answer is option D.

Note: Protozoa are one-celled, microscopic organisms that are free-living or parasitic. They multiply in humans and contribute to the parasite's survival and also permits serious infections. The transmission of protozoan diseases occurs through a faecal-oral route. Protozoa which lives in blood or human tissue is transmitted by arthropod vectors like mosquitoes.