Leishmania parasites colonize which two types of hosts?

Leishmania parasites colonize which two types of hosts?

• A. Phagocytes of Mammals, Intestinal Tract of Phlebotomine Sandflies
• B. Red Blood Cells and Lymph Nodes
• C. Epithelial Cells and Neurons
• D. Plant Cells and Bacteria

Answer: (A)

Leishmania has a two-host life cycle, needing both a vertebrate mammal and a sandfly vector to complete development. In the mammalian host, the parasite lives inside phagocytes, mainly macrophages, as intracellular amastigotes. In the sandfly, it colonizes the midgut as promastigotes, multiplying there before moving to the foregut and being transmitted to a new mammalian host. So the two primary colonization sites are the phagocytes of mammals and the intestinal tract (midgut) of Phlebotomine sandflies.

Leishmania has a two-host life cycle, needing both a vertebrate mammal and a sandfly vector to complete development. In the mammalian host, the parasite lives inside phagocytes, mainly macrophages, as intracellular amastigotes. In the sandfly, it colonizes the midgut as promastigotes, multiplying there before moving to the foregut and being transmitted to a new mammalian host. So the two primary colonization sites are the phagocytes of mammals and the intestinal tract (midgut) of Phlebotomine sandflies.