Will cause birth defects. High rate of subclinical infections. Recently identified as a fungus. MO obtained from animal and hman feces. Resistant to chlorine.
Humans are the definitive host.
Hypha, mycelium, thallus. Septate hyphae have a pores permiting cytoplasm and nuclei to pass through. Fungi usually reproduce sexually. Fungi are capable of breaking down complex organic materials to simpler compounds - at which state bacteria take over. There is usually no vector.