Knowing the life cycle is important in understanding modes of infection as well as the pathophysiology of the organism. In this course, the majority of the life cycles shown will be from the cdc.gov website.
This life cycle points out a number of important features about E. histolytica:
- E. histolytica exists in both a trophozoite stage, the motile (amoeboid) feeding stage, and a cyst (the protective, resistant, and infective stage)
- E. histolytica can cause disease both in the large intestines and disseminate to other organs
