Diagnostic parasitology techniques Flashcards

1
Q

what are broad classifications of parasites?

A

endoparasites and ectoparasites

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1
Q

what does endoparasites break down into? (broad)

A

protozoa - unicellular
helminths - multicellular worms

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2
Q

what are the key characteristics of ectoparasites?

A

jointed appendages

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3
Q

what are common protozoal parasites in veterinary medicine?

A

flagellates, amoeba, ciliates, apicomplexans

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4
Q

what are the common helminth parasites in veterinary medicine?

A

trematodes (flukes), cestodes (tapeworms), nematodes

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5
Q

what are the common ectoparasites in veterinary medicine?

A

ticks, mites, lice, fleas, flies/bots

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6
Q

what are the possible diagnostic samples you may encounter?

A

feces
sputum/vomitus
blood
urine
skin scrapes
formalin-fixed tissues samples -> histopathology

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7
Q

what does a qualitative test tell you?

A

wether an animal is infected

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8
Q

what does a quantitative test tell you?

A

tells you the amount affected

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9
Q

what are qualitative tests to diagnose endoparasites for feces?

A

direct visualization
direct smear
concentration techniques - fecal flotation, fecal sedimentation, baermann, immunoassays, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), culture of eggs or larvae

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10
Q

how do you get a parasitologist to tell you what the parasite it?

A

save in 70% ethanol and submit to veterinary diagnostic lab

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11
Q

what type of parasites get expelled in the feces or vomitus?

A

adult endoparasites

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12
Q

how do you prepare a direct fecal smear?

A

drop of saline + small amount of fecal material + coverslip

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13
Q

what has a risk for false negatives and is not a great tool for detecting most GI parasites?

A

direct fecal smear

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14
Q

what test is most useful when observing the motility of protozoal parasites that have motile stages?

A

direct fecal smear

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15
Q

what must the fecal flotation have for the most common parasites eggs/cysts to float?

A

higher/heavier specific gravity than most common parasites eggs/cysts

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16
Q

what is a good test for nematode eggs?

A

fecal flotation

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17
Q

what test is used to detect eggs/cysts that are too heavy to concentration by fecal flotation?

A

fecal sedimentation

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18
Q

what test is most useful for non-nematode eggs and certain protozoal cysts?

A

fecal sedimentation

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19
Q

what are some non-nematode eggs that fecal sedimentation are useful for?

A

trematode or acanthocephalan

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20
Q

what are some certain protozoal cysts that fecal sedimentation are useful for?

A

amoebae, ciliates, Giardia spp.

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21
Q

what is the fecal sedimentation not sensitive for?

A

nematode eggs or coccidian oocysts

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22
Q

what is the baermann technique useful for?

A

nematode larvae

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23
Q

How does the Baermann technique recover nematode larvae?

A

nematode larvae will wiggle out of biological material, cannot swim against gravity and will fall through the water to the area of clamped off tubing

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24
Q

what is the baermann technique useful for identifying?

A

lung worms and Strongyloides spp.

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25
Q

what is this test called?

A

Baermann technique

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26
Q

what is this test called?

A

fecal sedimentation

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27
Q

what test would you do when you suspect a protozoal GI infection that has motile stages?

A

direct smear

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28
Q

what test would you do when you suspect a nematode infection that produce eggs/cysts?

A

fecal flotation

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29
Q

what test would you do when you suspect infections with trematodes or acanthocephalans, amoebae, ciliates, Giardia spp.?

A

Fecal sedimentation

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30
Q

what test would you do when you suspect motile larvae is present in the species (lung worm or Strongyloides spp. infections)?

A

Baermann

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31
Q

what are the cons of a direct smear?

A

not very sensitive, don’t use as a primary diagnostic tool

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32
Q

what are the cons of a fecal flotation?

A

some eggs/cysts are too heavy to float (use fecal sedimentation in this case)

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33
Q

what are the cons of fecal sedimentation?

A

not very sensitive for nematode eggs or coccidian oocysts (ex. Cryptosporidium spp.)

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34
Q

what are the cons of Baermann test?

A

only useful for isolating motile larval stages

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35
Q

what is an immunoassay for feces?

A

detection of parasite antigens in feces

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36
Q

what is a PCR for feces?

A

detection of parasite DNA, can be quantitative depending on test

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37
Q

what is the immunoassay most commonly used for?

A

GI protozoal parasites - Giardia & Cryptosporidium

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38
Q

what are PCRs most commonly used for?

A

GI protozoal parasites - Giardia & Cryptosporidium spp.

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39
Q

Which PCR is qualitative or quantitative?

A

rt - qualitative
q - quantitative

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40
Q

what does a lower Ct indicate?

A

higher burden

41
Q

what L3 larvae commonly infect large animals?

A

trichostronglyes & strongyles

42
Q

what egg is this?

A

Trichostrongyle egg - Teladorsagia circumcincta - brown stomach worm

43
Q

what egg is this?

A

Strongyle egg - Strongylus vulgaris

44
Q

what are quantitative tests for endoparasites in the feces?

A

-dilution egg counts (Cornell-McMaster dilution technique)

45
Q

why use a quantitative test and not qualitative test in large animals?

A

they almost always have low levels of egg shedding unless they are actively being treated, so question is not are they infected but to what degree

46
Q

what is dilution egg counts mostly used for?

A

trichostrongyle/strongyles in ruminants and horses

47
Q

what does the Cornell-McMaster dilution egg counting technique do?

A

provides an estimate of eggs/gram of feces

48
Q

How is the Cornell-McMaster dilution egg counting technique done?

A

quantify’s eggs within a diluted fecal sample that is further diluted (1:1) in fecal flotation solution

49
Q

Why dilute the cornell-mcmater dilution egg counting technique with flotation solution?

A

-dilution decreases # of eggs you must count -> enhances accuracy
-flotation solution allows eggs to float to top of chamber ->bringing them to the same microscope field, floating above heavier fecal debris

50
Q

what are the 4 common types/classifications of eggs?

A

nematode, trematode, cestode, protistan cysts and oocysts

51
Q

what does nematode eggs break down into?

A

ascaridoid(roundworm), strongyle-type, trichuroid (whipworm), oxyurid (pinworms)

52
Q

what are ascaridoid eggs also called?

A

roundworm eggs

53
Q

what are the general characteristics of ascaridoid eggs?

A

light brown to brown, round to oval, thick wall

54
Q

what species are these? (each seperate)

A
55
Q

which species is this?

A
56
Q

which species is this?

A
57
Q

what species is this?

A

Toxocara canis - canine roundworm

58
Q

what is an ocular larval that migrates in humans

A

Toxocara canis

59
Q

what species is this?

A

Baylisacaris procyonis - raccoon roundworm

60
Q

what is a neurotropic parasite that has cerebral larval migration

A

Baylisacaris procyonis - racoon roundworm

61
Q

what are the general characteristics of strongyle-type eggs?

A

elongated oval, thin wall, clear (colorless), embryonated

62
Q

what type of egg is this?

A

Strongyle-type

63
Q

what are the general characteristics of oxyurid egg (pinworms)?

A

colorless shell and a small operculum (cap) on one end

64
Q

what type of egg is this?

A

Oxyurid egg - pinworms

65
Q

what are the arrows pointing to?

A
66
Q

Is there a public health significance if a horse has pin-worms?

A

no, can’t be zoonotic

67
Q

what are the general characteristics of trichuroid egg (whipworm eggs)?

A

bipolar (bioperculated), elongated to barrel-shaped, smooth thick wall

68
Q

what egg is this?

A

Trichuroid egg

69
Q

what type of technique would work best to isolate trichuroid eggs?

A

fecal flotation

70
Q

what egg looks a lot like trichuroid eggs?

A

capillarids

71
Q

how do capillarids and whipworms differ?

A

capillarids - bipolar plugs less prominent, slight curved appearance, can have pitted/irregular shells

72
Q

what are the general characteristics of trematode eggs?

A

brown egg with an operculum

73
Q

what type of egg is this?

A

trematode egg

74
Q

what are the arrows pointing to?

A
75
Q

what type of technique would you use to isolate trematode eggs?

A

fecal sedimentation

76
Q

what are the general characteristics of cestode eggs?

A

embryonated, 6-hooked oncosphere present inside a thick, striated shell

77
Q

what type of egg is this?

A

Cestode eggs

78
Q

what are the arrows pointing to?

A
79
Q

what are the general characteristics protistan cysts and oocysts?

A

smaller than most other eggs, still relatively varied in size

80
Q

what are these?

A

protozian cysts

81
Q

what are these?

A

oocysts

82
Q

what are possible pseudo-parasites?

A

air bubble, plant pollen, fungal spore

83
Q

what are each of these?

A
84
Q

what are some techniques for identifying blood parasites?

A

-direct blood smears
-immunoassays for detecting Dirofilaria immitis antigen or antibody
-microfilaria conc. techniques: modified knott’s, millipore filter test

85
Q

what is typically used to identify circulating microfilariae, protozoa, and rickettsiae (bacteria)?

A

direct blood smear

86
Q

what to do immunoassays detect?

A

antigen or antibody

87
Q

what are two microfilaria conc. techniques? which is preferred?

A

modified knott’s (preferred)
milipore filter test

88
Q

Aside from D. immitis what is the only filarid recognized in the blood of dogs in north america?

A

Acanthochilonema reconditum

89
Q

how do you differ between A. reconditum and D. immitis?

A
90
Q

why are microfilaria concentration techniques done?

A

to concentrate/filter the blood to increase the likelihood microfilaria will be be visualized, typically involved lysing RCBs

91
Q

do you do a microfilaria concentration technique before or after a positive immunoassay?

A

after

92
Q

can you use microfilaria concentration techniques as stand alone tests?

A

no risk for false negatives

93
Q

why might you get false negatives with microfilaria concentration techniques?

A

microfilariae not present in all HW-infected dogs

94
Q

what are the techniques for detecting ectoparasites?

A

direct visualization/identification, skin scraping, cellophane tape prep, skin histopathology

95
Q

what can direct visualization help to differentiate between with ectoparasites?

A

ticks, lice, and mites

96
Q

when do you use skin scrapings?

A

if you suspect a mite infestation

97
Q

what do you use to do skin scrape?

A

scalpel blade, mineral oil, slide

98
Q

why do you have to scrape so deeply?

A

some mites embed in the skin and some deep in hair follicles - need to diagnose via skin histopathology

99
Q

when do you use cellophane prep?

A

trapping/catching mites/lice that are close to the surface

100
Q

why is histopathology/postmortem important?

A

knowing a parasites life-cycle and anatomic predilection site is half the battle when trying to identify parasites grossly in vet species

101
Q

what are these?

A