CRS 6 Flashcards
Discuss the uses and limitations of the laboratory techniques available for demonstrating the parasite
- Heartworm and MFF antigen tests: antigen test takes 7 months do give positive result. Only means infection has occured at some point
- Thoracic radiological examination: can predict stage of infection and find thromboembolism, can see infiltration of vessels by worms
- Echocardiogram may show rigth ventricular dilation and wall hypertrophy, parallel linear echodensities produced by worms may be detected in right ventricle, right atrium and pulmonary artery
- ECG usually unremarkable
- ELISA: positive means must be a recent infection
- Tracheal washes show parasites up the parasites themselves
Discuss the approaches to treatment and prophylaxis of Dirofilaria immits
- Kill both adult worms and MFF
- Prevent transfer to adult dogs
- To kill adult worm immiticide and caparsolate useful
- Dead worms may induce significant immune reaction
- Surgical removal may be necessary (caval syndrome)
- MFF can be killed using ivermectin, milbemycin
- Both can be used as prophylactics
- Ivermectin as heart guard and milbemycin as interceptor
Explain the clinical relevance of vascular parasites
- Catastrophic effects
- Rapid decline and death
- Immune inflammatory response that can cause more damage than parasite itself
- May also be opportunity for parasite to reach brain and reduce blood flow to the area
List important epidemiological factors in lungworm disease of dogs
- Poorly understood
- Sligs and snails appear to be vectors for parasite when ingested by dog
- Transmission also associated with kennels and travelling
- Can be transferred dog to dog (Angiostrongylus vasorum)
List importnat epidemiological facotrs of lungworm disease of cattle
- Dictyocaulus viviparus
- Calves and yealings turned out to pasture fist time
- Later half of first grazing season
- Cattle on permament pastures used for seasonal grazing in EU affected
- Develop immunity following infection
- Must be mainteined by exposure each year
- Hypobiosis of late larval stage has been demonstrated in adult cattle
- L3 larvae may overwinter on pasture in enough numbers to cause disease following spring
List important epidemiological factors of lungowrm in horses
- Dictyocaulus arnfieldi
- Mainly when pastures shared with donkeys
- When field previosuly used for donkeys
- Not persistent infection in horses
- Patency lower than that in horses
Suggest relevant diagnositc tests for lungworm
- Clinical signs
- Faecal egg count
- Bronchoalveolar lavage
- Tracheal wash
- Endoscopy
- Post mortem
- Biopsy
Compare the immune response to Angiostrongylus in dogs and Dictyocaulus in cattle
- Eosinophils, neutrophils, mast cells and basophils
- Immune responses different due to genetic variation between species of parasite and host
- Immune response to an occult infection also different to an adult infection
Explain the variation in immune response reflecting in clinical signs of angiostrongylosis in dogs
- Clinical signs include coughing, dyspnoea, haemorrhage, pulmonary hypertension, lethargy, exercise intolerance, collapse, neurological signs, ocular signs, lumbar pain or no clinical signs
- Adult antigen causes type III hypersensitivity, dissemination of immune complexes, complement activation and immune infiltrate in the lungs and other tissues
- Egg deposition or L1 can cause pulmonary inflammatory/granuloma and pulmonary arteriolar vasoconstriction
Outline ways in which parasitic diseases may be transmitted
- Vectors
- Ingestion
- From individual to another individual
- From parasite laying eggs in animal
List some importnat taxonomic features which enable parasite identification
- Gross morphological structure of adults and eggs
- Plugs?
- Smooth or rough shell
- Thin or thick shell
- Parasite visible in egg?
- Colour?
- Size?
- Where found?
Describe the life cycle of some respiratory parasites in exotic species
- Snake lung worm (Pentasmid) migrate as larvae from intestinal tract and then as adult to lungs
- Common intermediate hosts include insects and rodents
- Ivermectin common treatment but cannot be used for turtle
Discuss some methods used to diagnose respiratory parasites of exotic species
- Clinical signs and history
- What kind of feed
- Contact with other animals
- Faecal egg count
- Identification of eggs under microscope
- Post mortem
- ELISA
- Biochemical tests
- Complete blood count
- Blood smear
Define an acid
A proton donor (increases H+ concentration in a solution)
Define a base
A proton donor and decreases H+ concentration in solution
Define the term pKa
- Negative log of Ka
- pKa = pH at which 50% of molecules are ionised
- Greater pKa = lower dissociation and weaker acid
Define Ka
- Dissociation constant
- Ka = [H+][A-]/[HA]
- Stronger acid has a higher Ka
- Strong acid gives Ka>1, pKa
Define the term buffer solution
- Buffer solution is one that resists a change in pH by accepting or donating protons
Define pH
pH = -log10[H+]
State the Henderson-Hasselbach equation and use it to calculate the pH, pKa or [base]:[acid] ratio in a budder solution when given appropriate information
- pH = pKa + log ([A-]/[HA])
- Many drugs are weak acids or bases
- Un-ionised drugs cross membranes and enter blood stream more easily
- Environment will impact upon ratio of ionised to un-ionised
- Drugs work bes aroun 1pH of their pKa
Explain the need for biological buffer systems
- Need to balance daily input/output of H+ in order to maintain steady state
- Metabolism of fat and carbohydrates produces H+ ions
- CO2 combines with water to form carbonic acid
- Buffers present damage occuring through produciton of waste products
List the different types of acid in the body and give examples for each
- Volatile acid: an acid that can leave solution and enter the atmosphere e.g. carbonic acid in the lung, broken down to CO2 and H2O
- Fixed acids: cannot leave solution and must be eliminated by the kidney e.g. phosphoric acid
- Organic acids: by-products or participants in aerobic metabolism e.g. lactic acid
Outline the mechanism of action of a buffer
- Able to accept or donate protons
- Weka acids or bases exist at equilibrium with the conjugate
- Resist changes from a stronger solution when added
- Compounds with pKa values in range of 6.4 - 8.4 most useful
- Curve is sigmoidal
- At pH associated with mid range has greatest buffering capacity
- For each buffer, best capacity extends 1pH unit either side of pKa
- Can act as open or closed systems
- Buffers can be proteins, phosphate, carbonic acid, hydrogen, carbon
- Can also be grouped by location - intracellular (proteins and phosphates) or extracellular (bicarbonate and Hb)
List locations of biologially important buffers and give the components
- ISF: bicarbonate, phosphate, protein
- Blood: bicarbonate, haemoglobin, plasma protein
- ICF: proteins, phosphate
- Urine: phosphate, ammonia
- Bone: Ca carbonate