Question

Trypanosoma, the causative agent of African sleeping sickness belongs to which class of protozoa?
A. Rhizopoda
B. Mastigophora
C. Sporozoa
D. Ciliate

Answer 1

Hint:African sleeping sickness which is also known as Human African trypanosomiasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease. The parasite which causes this disease belongs to the genus Trypanosoma.

Complete answer: Rhizopoda is a protozoan amoeboid organism that is placed in the kingdom Protista. naked and testate amoebae, and also some members of the slime molds and foraminifera are included in the class Rhizopoda. They do not cause African sleeping sickness, therefore, option A is wrong.
African sleeping sickness is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma, which is a zooflagellate protozoan parasite belonging to the Mastigophora class of the protozoa. Trypanosoma brucei is the parasite responsible for the cause of Human African trypanosomiasis. Tsetse flies are responsible for the transmission of the disease. Therefore, option B is the correct answer.
Sporozoa is a subphylum that consists of many unicellular and intracellular parasites. These are non-motile, spore-forming parasites. These parasites are not responsible for the cause of African sleeping sickness. Therefore, option C is wrong.
Ciliates are protozoans that show the presence of hair-like organelles called cilia. Ciliated protozoans are not pathogenic to humankind. It does not cause African sleeping sickness in humans. Therefore, option D is wrong.

So, option B is the correct option.

Note: Plasmodium is a parasite which belongs to the sporozoan class of protozoa and is responsible for the cause of a disease called malaria. This disease is transmitted via mosquito. One of the species of a ciliated protozoan called Balantidium coli is pathogenic to humans which causes balantidiasis disease. These parasites do not affect domestic pigs.