13. Apicomplexan pathogens

Question 1

Two most well known apicomplexan pathogens and what do they cause?

Answer 1

Cryptosporidium parvus and cryptosporidium hominis

Cryptosporidiosis - flu-like intestinal disorder

Question 2

Factors contributing to increased risk of cryptosporidium outbreak

Answer 2

Small oocyst size
Wide range of host specificity and monoexonous development
Large no. of oocysts excreted
Low infective dose

Question 3

How does flocculation help filter water

Answer 3

surface charge of oocysts is low - readily clump with other negatively charged particles
particularly in the presence of aluminium or iron hydroxide flocs.

Question 4

Is rapid filtration an effective method?

Answer 4

Yes after sedimentation and flocculation

Question 5

Two example drugs for treatment of cryptosporidium

Answer 5

spiramycin

paromomycin

Question 6

Which animal does the intestinal phase of the toxoplasma life cycle happen in?

Answer 6

felines

Question 7

What is essential to the immune response to maintain toxoplasma latency?

Answer 7

IF-gamma

Question 8

Drugs for toxoplasmosis

Answer 8

pyrimethamine plus sulfadiazine

Question 9

Drug for toxoplasmosis during pregnancy

Answer 9

spiramycin