The disease Kala-Azar is caused by the protozoan Leishmania donovani

Leishmania donovani:
- It is a parasitic protozoan belonging to the class Mastigophora or flagellata.
- It is a human parasite that is dimorphic (i.e. shows two forms) & digenetic in nature
- It causes the disease Kala-azar or Dumdum fever by sand fly (phelobotomus)
- The disease is spread by the bite of infected sand-fly
- It can affect the Skin (Cutaneous Leishmaniasis), the mucous membrane of the mouth, throat, and nose (Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis), Liver, lymph nodes, spleen, and bone marrow (Visceral Leishmaniasis)
- Symptoms include: Cutaneous Leishmaniasis - Skin ulcers
- Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis - Ulcers in mouth, throat, and nose, Nosebleed, Difficulty in breathing.
- Visceral Leishmaniasis - Weakness, weight loss, loss of appetite, enlarged spleen, liver, lymph nodes, a decrease in the production of blood cells.

Diagram showing the two different forms of Leishmania donovani

| Organism | Disease Caused |
| Amoeba | Amoebiasis or Amoebic dysentery |
| Escherichia coli | Bacterial infections, including cholecystitis, bacteremia, cholangitis, urinary tract infection (UTI), and traveller's diarrhoea |
| Clostridium Tetani | Tetanus |
| Clostridium botulinum | Botulism |






