Question

Study the following examples related to parasitism and select the mismatched pairs.

1. Entamoeba histolytica - Bacteria parasitic in large intestine
2. Candida albicans - Fungi parasitic on mouth
3. Ascaris lumbricoides - Helminth parasites of small intestine
4. Copepods - Protozoa parasite on gills of fishes

• A. 1 and 2
• B. 2 and 3
• C. 3 and 4
• D. 1 and 4

Answer 1

The correct option is D 1 and 4

Parasitism is a type of population interaction, where one organism (parasite) lives and derives nutrition from another specific organism (host).

Entamoeba histolytica is a protozoan parasite that causes amoebic dysentery in humans. They normally present in the large intestine. Common symptoms of the disease include diarrhea with belly cramps, fever, nausea, vomiting and blood or mucus in the stool. Hence 1 is mismatched.

Candida albicans is a fungal parasite that causes candidiasis in humans. It is a type of yeast which normally lives on the skin or inside the body, in places such as the mouth, throat, gut, and vagina, without causing any problems in healthy hosts. In immunocompromised individuals, it may cause infection with symptoms such as burning sensation, redness, abdominal pain, etc. So 2 is correctly matched.

Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm) is a helminth that normally live in the small intestine. Ascariasis is an infection of the small intestine caused by roundworm. Common symptoms of the disease include abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and bloody stools. So 3 is correctly matched.

Copepods are small crustaceans. They are parasites of freshwater and marine fishes. Hence 4 is mismatched.