Pathogenic Eukaryotes

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It is estimated that there are millions of species of microbial eukaryotes on our planet. (You'll sometimes see them called 'protists', but this term has fallen out of favor.) And it is estimated that there are about 1 million species of worms. Fortunately, only a small number cause human disease. But that tiny fraction that do cause disease can have devastating effects on humanity. For example, a microbial eukaryote called Plasmodium falciparum causes malaria, which takes more than 600,000 human lives every year.

The following images are inspired by (but do not accurately depict) some of the genera of microbial eukaryotes and worms that cause disease in humans.