#underthelens

Giardia is a parasite that causes the diarrheal illness known as giardiasis. Giardia is found on surfaces or in soil, food, or water that has been contaminated with feces (poop) from infected people or animals. Giardia is protected by an outer shell that allows it to survive outside the body for long periods of time and protects it from disinfectants like chlorine, making it harder to kill. While the parasite can be spread in different ways, it is most often spread through water. A digitally-colorized scanning electron micrograph (SEM) depicts a Giardia parasite caught in a late stage of cell division, producing a heart-shaped form. Read more about Giardiasis: www.cdc.gov/parasites/giardia/ Photo credit: CDC Public Health Image Library (phil.cdc.gov). #UndertheLens #biology #science #CDC #health #PublicHealth : @cdcgov

African trypanosomiasis, also known as “sleeping sickness,” is caused by microscopic Trypanosoma parasites (T. brucei gambiense and T. brucei rhodesiense). These parasites are spread by the bite of infected tsetse flies, which are found only in rural sub-Saharan Africa. The disease is called sleeping sickness because people often develop abnormal sleep cycles (including daytime sleepiness) during the neurologic stage of the infection. Sleeping sickness can be cured with medication; if left untreated, the disease gets worse and leads to death. This photomicrograph of a Giemsa-stained blood smear shows two Trypanosoma parasites. Read more: http://bit.ly/CDC-SleepingSickness Photo credit: DPDx (http://bit.ly/DPDx-Lab) #UndertheLens #biology #science #CDC #health #PublicHealth : @cdcgov