This flagellate is pear-shaped with "falling leaf" motility. It contains variant-specific surface proteins (VSPs) on its surface, which provide a mechanism for the organism to survive in the small intestine as a result of its ability to resist intestinal proteases. The organism is:
a. G. duodenalis.
b. C. mesnili.
c. D. fragilis.
d. E. hominis.
A
The VSPs are a family of related, highly unusual proteins covering the surface of the organism. The VSPs are resistant to the effects of intestinal proteases, thus allowing the parasites to survive in the protease-rich small intestine. An antigenic variation of the surface antigen during human infections with G. duodenalis has been documented.
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