Links:
Medical Microbiology
- A Brief Introduction
Protozoal classification
The microbe Pneumocystis jiroveci was for many years considered to be a protozoan because of its microscopic appearance and its behaviour, but molecular biological studies have shown this organism to be a fungus! This is a case where taxonomists have not only got the species or genus wrong, but they have placed this organism in the wrong Kingdom!! It also illustrates the paradox that the simpler an organism is, the more difficult it is to classify it. With higher organisms there are many characteristics with which to differentiate individuals: with microorganisms there are relatively very few characteristics that can be used in identification and classification. This microorganism was also once known as Pneumocystis carinii. It is important for patients suffering from AIDS, and causes a type of pneumonia.
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