Cestodes Flashcards
What are cestodes?
Ribbon like Platyhelminthes.
Are there any free-living cestodes?
NO there are only parasitic cestodes.
Where do the cestode larval stages occur?
In the tissues of vertebrates and invertebrates.
How do cestodes attach to the intestine?
Through the scolex on the head.
What is contained in the neck region? What is contained in the body region?
Neck- germinal region.
Body- proglottids.
Are cestodes hermaphrodites or dioecious?
All are hermaphrodites.
How do cestodes absorb nutrients? How does the layout of their body plan facilitate this?
No mouth, no intestine, no anus, they absorb nutrients!
What is a rostellum?
A knob-like protrusion on the extreme anterior end of the cestode. When protruding, it is a globular, spiny structure. When it is retracted, it is a circular, hollow pit. Composed of a concentric rows of hooks. .
What is the strobila?
The body which is made up of proglottids. (The segmented part of the tapeworm).
What is the operculum?
On eggs, some are operculated. (Lid that flips open to reveal larvae).
What is a protoscolex?
A juvenile scolex formed from the germinal layer of a hydatid metacestode.
What is a hydatid?
Can be a hydatic cyst which is a fluid-filled cyst containing the larvae of the cestode.
What is a hexacanth embryo?
A six hooked larvae inside eggs which uses the hooks to attach to intestines.
What is an oncosphere?
The larval stage once it is ingested by the intermediate host.
What are the two groups that cestodes are split into?
-Suckers and hooks or grooves: cyclophylidae and pseudophylidae respectively.
What is a hexacanth embryo?
An embryo characterised by three pairs of hooks used for penetration through the gut of an intermediate host.
Where do worms grow from and what does this mean about cutting worms in half?
Grow from the neck (as this contains the germinal region) so cutting in half means it will simply regrow!
What makes up one proglottid?
The ovary, uterus and sperm duct.
What is the function of the tegument?
Is a spongey like covering over the whole body that allows them to import nutrients straight from the environment into the segments.
How do cestodes excrete without an anus?
Excrete directly through the tegument.
How do cestodes move inside the intestine?
Have muscles and a nervous system to allow them to move.
What are the differences between pseudophyllids and cyclophyllids in terms of
- Scolex
- Uterus
- Proglottids
- Eggs
Pseudophyllids:
- Slit like grooves
- No branching of uterus, colvoluted uterine tubules forming rosettes
- Eggs released FROM proglottids, eggs in faeces
- Operculated eggs, ciliated larvae
Cyclophyllids:
- Suckers and/or hooks
- Branching, may or may not have convoluted uterine tubules
- Proglottids containing eggs released from adult worm so both eggs and proglottids found in stool
- Unoperculated, no ciliated larvae
What are the names for the most common human cestodes that are the beef tapeworm and the dwarf tapeworm?
- Taenia saginata
- Htmenolepis nana
What is the drug of choice for most platyhelminth infections?
Praziquantel. also niclosamide and albendazole (for tissue stages) for some.
How long is echinococcus and where does it have its adult form?
Less than a cm long, in fox or dog intestine.
How is PZQ thoght to have its antihelminthic effects?
By causing Ca influx which causes muscle contractions and surface modifications, ending in paralysis.
How large is taenia and where does it have its adult form?
From 2-10m long but up to 25 m long in human intestines.
What is diphyllobothrium? Where is it found? What are the three most common species (and where are they found and which species are they found in)?
A broad tapeworm/fish tapeworm.
Latum- Found in freshwater fish in Europe and America.
Diphyllobothrium pacificum- in pacific South America and East Asia in salt water fish.
Diphyllobothrium nihonkaiense- in Japan and US pacific coast and is found in Pacific salmon.
What is the most common diphyllobothrium that we study? How big are they? What is their lifespan?
Latum. Is the fish/ broad/ broad fish tapeworm.
3-10m long, reports of up to 25m.
5-15 year lifespan (reported up to 25).
What are the intermediate hosts for diphyllobothrium latum? HOw do humans get infection? Where is D latum still very prevalent?
Copepods (crustaceans) (first intermediate host) and fresh water fish (second intermediate host).
By eating raw or undercooked fish?
In Europe, especially in the Alps.
Describe the lifecycle of D latum.
Fish is eaten and worms mature in intestine–> eggs are released from the proglottid –> eggs come out unembryonated in stool –> eggs embryonate in water –> corocidia hatch from eggs –> corocidia are eaten by copepods –> –> develop in copepod into procircoid larvae –> infected copepod eaten by fish –> plerocoid larvae (infective form) develop inside fish –> fish is eaten by a bigger fish, larvae moves into the flesh –> humans eat this and become infected.
Define bothria.
Longitudinal grooves on the scolex of cestoda.
What is the main clinical feature of D latum infection?
Vitamin B12 deficiency because they absorb this in the intestine, they absorb up to 80%.
Describe the scolex of D latum.
Scolex with two sucking grooves (bothrias)
Describe the uterus of D latum.
Characteristic rosette-shaped uterus which is central.
Describe the features of the ova of D latum
~60 um • Shed in large numbers in faeces • Oval • Does not float in salt solutions • Abundant granules • Operculum at one end • Small knob at other end • Not infective to humans
How long after D latum eggs hatching in water does it take for them to become larvae? What emerges from the egg?
About 12 days. The operculum/ lid releases L1 cilliated larvae called coracium.
What happens/ which stages are where the L2 and L3 D latum larvae occur?
L2 is ingested by fish. L3 occurs in fish tissue and when it is infective it is called plerocercoid.
What is the infective D latum stage called?
Plerocercoid.
HOw do we diagnose and treat D latum?
Diagnose: expect intestinal disturbance and B12 deficiency. Eggs in stool to diagnose.
Treat with PZQ and possibly supplement with vitamin B12.
What is L1 of latum called?
Ciliated coracidium.
How do we control for D latum?
- Cooking fish (63oC)
* Freezing fish, -20oC, 24h to a week (depending on size of fish)
What is L3 D latum larvae called?
Procercoid.
See notes for spirometra (don’t need to know, mainly just for interest).
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What is (one of) the most common tapeworm infections seen in humans?
Hymenoleptis nana. Dwarf tapeworm.
What are the definitive and intermediate hosts for hymenoleptis nana? What is interesting about this?
Definitive: humans and rodents
Intermediate: insects and arthropods
The intermediate host is OPTIONAL. IT is the only human tapeworm that can complete its lifecycle without the intermediate host!