Exam # 1 Flashcards
What is a parasite?
organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host
What is parasitism?
- is a form of symbiosis, in which the parasite, usually the smaller
- symbiont, is metabolically dependent on the host.
What is the relationship between host and parasite?
One symbiont (host) is harmed, while the other symbiont (parasite) benefits.
What are the characteristics of a parasite?
- Depends on the host for survival
• Has adverse effects on the host
• Has greater fecundity than host
• Is usually smaller than its host
• Doesn’t want to kill its host
host dies-parasite dies
• In the case of Macroparasites
(Helminths) – Are over-dispersed among the host population
How can a parasite harm a host?
- Cause clinical/sub-clinical diseases
- Trauma
- Nutrient Robbing
- Toxin production
- Inflammatory responses/ Interaction with host immune
Why do we study parasites in veterinary medicine?
- Impact animal health/welfare, Economic loss
- Negatively impact the human-animal bond
- Pose a challenge in wildlife conservation
- Pose a risk to human health. Parasitic zoonoses
What is a direct life cycle?
Free living —> Host, no intermediate hosts
What is an indirect lifecycle?
Egg/Larvae in another host(s)–> host. Intermediate hosts present.
What is the lifecycle shown in this picture?
Direct lifecycle
What kind of lifecycle is shown in this picture?
Indirect
What is a microparasite?
E.g. Protozoa, Viruses (Malaria, Giardia, Toxoplasma)
- Tiny, Unicellular, microscopic
- Multiply within hosts
- Short life cycles
What are macroparasites?
E.g. Roundworms, Tapeworms, Ticks, Fleas
Large, Multicellular, adult macroscopic
Reproduce in definative hosts
Generally longer life cycles
What are endoparasites?
- Adults inside body of host
eg: Nematodes, tapeworms, giardia
What are ectoparasites?
Parasites that live on the body of the host.
E.g. Ticks, mites, bugs, flies, mosquitos
What is an Obligatory parasite?
Only parasitic stage- no free living environmental stage
eg: trichinells spp. Plasmodium spp.
What are facultative parasites?
- Both parasitic and non parasitic lifestyles
- opportunistic parasite, can complete lifecycle without hosts.
eg: strongyloides spp
What are Spurious parasites?
Incidental finding. Parasite is found in unusual host. Usually resulted from predation or accidental ingestion/ contamination.
Eggs/ larvae do not develop in unusual host
What is a pseudoparsite?
- object or organism that resembles or is mistaken for a parasite.
What are the three major groups of parasites?
- Protozoa
- Helminths
- Arthropods
How do protazoa reproduce and are they single celled or multicellular?
Single celled - microscopic • Reproduce mostly asexually -
Multiply and increase in number • Some sexually – fusion of
gametes
e.g. Giardia, Cryptosporidium Toxoplasma, E. coli
What is some important information on Helminths?
Multicellular – Adults easily visible • Produce offspring • Well developed organs, systems • Prepatent period and patency is
long
e.g: Hookworm, Tapeworms, Flukes
What is some important information about arthropods?
- Multicellular – Visible
- Segmented bodies, jointed limbs
• Parasites themselves or vectors
of other microbes
• Insects – 6 legs
• Arachnids 8 legs (adult)
e.g. Flies, ticks, mites
What is definitive host?
Main host. Supports sexual reproduction of the parasite. Parasite reaches
sexual maturity. E.g. Dogs for Toxocara canis
What is an intermediate host?
Supports the parasite’s development and asexual reproduction
(multiplication)—E.g. Slugs and snails for some lungworms.
What is a paratenic host?
Development, multiplication does not occur in this host. Help in
maintaining the lifecycle but not necessary. E.g., Rodents for some nematodes
What is a transport host?
Carrier of the parasite from one host to another. No development or
multiplication. E.g., Houseflies for some parasites. Aka mechanical hosts.
What is an aberrant/ unusual host?
Non-natural host. The parasite may cause pathology in aberrant hosts.
E.g., Dogs are aberrant intermediate hosts for Racoon roundworms.
What is a vector?
- Carrier of an infectious agent between organisms of a different species. Can be
intermediate hosts or transport hosts. Usually used in case of human infections. E.g., mosquitoes
for heartworm, malaria.
What is a reservoir host?
Maintains the infection without being harmed—e.g., White-tailed deer for
brainworm.
What are the routes of transmission?
- Fecal-oral- most intestinal parasites (Giardia, hookworms)
- Skin penetration ( per-cutaneous)- bot fly
- Vector transmission/ innoculation- heartworm via mosquitos
- Direct contact : ectoparasites
- Sexual transmission- Tritichomonas foetus
- Vertical transmission: mother to offspring
- Placental/ Prenatal (toxocara canis)
- Through milk- Transmammary/ Lactogenic transmission (eg: ancyclostoma spp.)
- Iatrogenic Transmission: Blood transfusion through contaminated surgical instruments, needles. (e.g. Blood protozoa, bacteria, virus)
How do you diagnose parasites?
- Fecal test
- Float, Sedimentation, Qualatative, Quantitative
- Urinalysis- ex dioctophyme
- Examination of blood
- Blood protazoans, arthropods, and some helminths
- Direct smear, stained smear, knotts test (HW disease)
- Exam of tissue
- Ex: Trichinella
- Tissue digestion/ tissue squash
- Exam of hair/ skin
- Primarily ectoparasites. Ex: fleas mites, lice
- Skinscrape, KOH digestion of scrape, direct observation.
- Necropsy
- Fatal cases
- Adult parasites/ stages, characteristic lesions formed by parasites.
- Histopathology
- PCR/Genetic Markers
- Species level ID
- Primers/ probes used to amplify species specific genetic markers
- can be done from extracted egg/larvae/ adult.
- Immunological Tests: Elisa, IFA, CFT, ect.
- Serological tests- tests for antibodies against parasites
- In house testing
- Commercial tests.
What are the important methods of parasite management or control?
- Kill/Neutralize the parasites in the definitive hosts – Antiparasitic drugs
- Prevent or reduce the production of offspring in the host
- Immunization - Vaccines
- Optimize host health to resist transmission
- Kill/clear free-living stages in the environment
- Prevent contact with/consumption of intermediate/paratenic hosts
- Kill/neutralize intermediate/paratenic hosts
BREAK THE LIFECYCLE
What is a serious emerging issue in parasitology?
Drug resistance
- Judicial use of paraciticides is critical
TRUE or FALSE: Arthropods are the smallest phylum in the animal kingdom?
False - they are the largest
What groups are encompassed within Arthropods?
Crustaceans (crabs, lobsters, shrimp), Arachnids (spiders, ticks, mites, scorpions), and Insects
(bugs, ants, bees, moths, flies, fleas, mosquitoes)
What are some problems caused by arthropods?
- Annoyance
- toxins/ Venom
- Allergic Reactions
- Invasion of host tissues/ trauma
- Disease/ pathogen transmission
What are the important arthropod groups?
- Arachnids and Insects
What are 2 groups within Arachnids?
Mites and Ticks
What is some important general information about arachnids?
2 distinct body parts – cephalothorax and
abdomen
• 8 legs attached to cephalothorax, no
wings or antennae
• Actively feed on host tissues and fluids at
some stage of their lifecycle
What are the 4 groups within Insects?
- Hemiptera (Bugs)
- Phthiraptera (Lice)
- Siphonaptera (Fleas)
- Diptera (Flies)
What is some important general information about insects
3 distinct body parts – head, thorax, abdomen
• 6 legs, 2 antennae, 2 pairs of wings attached
to thorax
• Actively feed on host tissues and fluids at some
stage of their lifecycle
What are some important characteristics of mites?
- Dorsally flattened
- small < 1mm
- 6 legs as larvae to nymph
- 8 legs as an adult
What are the features of mites that are diagnostically important?
l length of pedicel ( stalk connecting leg to caruncle) and caruncle (cup like sucker)
- Chilicerca (feeding mouthparts)
- Location of anus and anal plate
What are the two types of mites? What are some differences between them?
- Burrowing mites- Short stumpy legs, circular shape, smaller than surface mites. They tunnel into skin.
ex: Demodex - Surface mites- Long distinct legs, generally round to oval shape, larger than burrowing mites, remain on the surface
ex: Otodectes
What is the lifecycle of mites?
Egg -> Larvae-> Nymph -> Adult
How are mites transmitted?
By contact (direct and indirect)
What symptoms/ issues can mites cause?
- No effect to sever dermatitis (mange)
- Hypersensitivities ( allergic reactions)
- Excoriation and secondary bacterial infection.
What are some key features of ticks?
- Dorso-ventrally flattened
- Larvae 6 legs, nymph and adults 8 legs
- Not very host specific
- Sexual dimorphism obvious
What are Ticks?
Well-known vectors of human and veterinary pathogens (e.g Lyme, Ehrlichia etc.)
- Most important in veterinary field **
What are some important features of Hard ticks?
Mouthparts visible when seen from above
• “Plate” on the back – Scutum
• Found in habitats rich with vertebrate hosts,
moist woodlands, forest edges, hiking trials
• More important (parasitize more people/animals
and more diseases in the US)
What are some important features of Soft ticks?
- Mouthparts invisible when seen from above
- Lack scutum – wrinkled body
• Found in animal burrows, dens. Can survive
hot and dry conditions
• Less common. Species of veterinary
importance are Ornithodorous spp., and
Otobius spp.
What is the lifecycle of 3 host tick?
- ) Adults will feed/ mate on third host
- ) Female will drop off host and oviposit
- ) Eggs will hatch and 6 legged larva will feed on first host.
- ) Larva will leave after feeding and then molt to nymph
- ) 8 legged nymph will feed on second host, then leaves and molts to adult
- ) Cycle repeats
What is the life cycle of the one host tick?
- ) Eggs hatch and 6 legged larva find host.
- ) Larva has 2 molts on host.
- First molt to 8 legged nymph.
- 2nd molt to adult on host - ) Adults mate
- ) Female drops off host and oviposits
- ) cycle repeats
What is the action the tick is doing in this photo?
Questing- Host seeking behavior
What are the two types of ticks?
Hard ticks (Ixodidae) and Soft ticks (Argasidae)
What ticks are the most important in veterinary medicine?
Hard ticks and 3 host ticks
What are some issues ticks can cause?
All ticks can cause:
- Anemia
- Dermatitis, alopecia
- Local bacterial infection of bites
Some ticks:
- Paralysis: Salivary toxin of female tick
- Pathogen transmission
- Alpha-gal syndrome (red meat allergy)
What are some general characteristics of lice?
- Dorso-ventrally flattened
- 6 legs
- High host specificity, also site specific
- Divided into two main groups
What are the two types of lice?
Chewing/ biting lice (Mallophaga)
Sucking louse (Anoplura)
What are the key characteristics of Chewing/ biting lice? Sucking louse?
Chewing/ Biting Lice:
- Wider head (wider than thorax)
- Occurs mainly on birds, occasionally on mammals
- Stout mandibles
Sucking Louse:
- Head narrower than thorax
- Nearly every mammal can be infested by sucking louse
- Piercing mouthparts
What is the duration of the lifecycle of lice?
Entire lifecycle (20 – 40 days) on the host
How long can lice live off of the host?
Can live 2-3 weeks off the host but usually less than a week
How are lice transmitted?
Direct or indirect contact – Grooming instruments
When is infection more likely to occur with lice and what are the effects lice can have on the patients?
- Infestation more common in the winter in northern climates – long
hair
What are some key features of fleas?
- Laterally flattened §
- 6 legs
- Not host specific
- Lack wings but strong claws (attachment) and hind legs adapted for jumping
- Chewing mouthpart
What is the diagnostic feature for fleas?
Shape of head and combs
What is the flea lifecycle? What conditions are optimal for growth/ survival of fleas?
Egg -> Larvae (1-3) -> Pupae -> Adult
Conditions: Warm and humid ( 75-90 degrees, 60-85 % humidity)
More Descriptive Life cycle:
- ) Eggs laid on hosts and are dislodged from the coat while shaking, scratching
- ) Development to larvae, pupae (inside cocoon) in the animal resting site.
- ) Larvae feed on flea poop “flea dirt”
- ) Adult hatch from cocoon when the host is nearby
What do flea larvae feed on?
Adult flea poop or “flea dirt”
What are some examples of Biting Flies?
- Horsefly
- deer fly
- Horn fly
- Stable fly
- Black fly
- Biting midge
- Sand fly
- mosquitoes
What are some examples of non biting flies (nuisance flies)?
- Face fly
- Head fly
- House fly
What are some examples of myiasis causing flies?
- Blowfly
- Horse bot fly
- Human bot fly
- Nasal bot fly
- Screwworm fly
- Warble fly
What is the lifecycle of biting flies?
- ) Adult flies feed on horse
- ) After each meal, female lays eggs on ground with suitable substrate
- ) Eggs hatch in 12-24 hours to first instar larvae
- ) Larvae mature through three instars to pupae within puparia, then to adults within puparia.
- ) Adults emerge from puparia and can fly within an hour.
Life cycle completes within 12-20 days depending on environmental conditions.
What is the lifecycle of horse bot flies?
- ) Fly lays eggs no hairs, around legs, shoulders, neck and mouth.
- ) Horse injests eggs
- ) Eggs will attach to stomach / intestinal wall and grow into larvae (here they will live for 8-10 months)
- ) Larvae pass out in feces
- ) Larvae mature through three instars. Pupae withing puparia, and then to adults within puparia. This occurs in about 3-10 weeks.
When do adult fleas hatch from the cocoon?
When host is nearby.
What signs/ symptoms can effect patients with fleas?
- Dermatitis
- Flea bite hypersensitivity (Flea allergy dermatitis, FAD in dogs)
- Anemia (rare, young animals)
What are some pathogens that can be transmitted by fleas?
- Pathogen transmission:
- Plague
- Flea-borne typhus
- Feline parvovirus
- Tapeworms (D. caninum)
- Nematode (A. reconditum)
What arthropod are these?
Flies
What is this arthropod?
Bug (Specifically bed bug)
What is this arthropod?
Fleas
What is this arthropod? Bonus: What is its scientific name?
Chewing/ Biting Lice
Bonus: Mallophaga
What is this arthropod? Bonus: What is its scientific name?
Sucking Louse
Bonus: Anoplura
What is this arthropod? What subtype is it?
Bonus: What family is it from?
Tick
Subtype: Hard Tick
Family: Ixodidae
What is this arthropod? What subtype is it?
Bonus: What family is it from?
Ticks
Subtype: Soft Ticks
Family: Argasidae
What is this arthropod? What is its subtype? Bonus : Example of one of them.
Mites
Subtype: Burrowing Mite
Example: Demodex
What is this arthropod? What is its subtype? Bonus : Example of one of them.
Mites
Subtype: Surface Mites
Example: Otodectes (Ear mites)
What is some general information about bugs?
- Dorsoventrally flattened. Some bugs look like lice
- Variable host specificity
– e.g Bed bug can bite both people and pets
- Blood feeders
- Bugs don’t live on people/pets, they bite host only when they need blood meal
- Mostly feed at night, during day hide in crevices
What is the lifecycle of bugs?
Eggs ->Nymph (5 instars (stages) ) -> Adult
- Bloodmeal is needed before each molt.
- Adults can live for up to 1 year and can survive long period without feeding
What are some key characteristics of flies?
§ Important group of animal ectoparasites
§ Most have one pair of wings (adults)
§ Greatly vary in size, colour, food preference and
developmental stage that parasitize animals.
§ Adults feed on blood, saliva, tears, mucous of
hosts
§ Vectors and Intermediate hosts for many
pathogens microparasites
§ Larval stages may cause myiasis (s/c tissue,
respiratory track or GI track
What are the 3 types of flies and what is some general information about each?
- ) Biting fly - Damaging stage is adult fly, blood sucking.
- Scissor like mouthparts - ) Non- biting (nuisance flies)- can cause nuisance and stress.
- Mouthpart has soft, spongy structure called labella and proboscis. - ) Myiasis causing flies- Damage caused by maggots (larvae) that feed on host tissues. Adults are non biting.
ALL CAN TRANSMIT DISEASES
What is the pathogenesis of flies?
- Harassment (common)
- Anemia (rare)
- Dermatitis/local infection
- Hypersensitivity
- Organ-specific damage
- General tissue necrosis
- Pathogen transmission
List the arthropods in order of decreasing host specificity.
Lice
Mites
Fleas
Ticks
Flies
How do you diagnose arthropod parasites?
- Morphology of adult/ larval/ egg stages
- Skin inspection
- Ticks/ flies - easily visible (remove intact organism and look at with disecting microscope)
- Examine third instar larvae of flies- spiracular plate
- Mites- skin scraping- superficial/ deep
- Tissue digestion using 5% KOH (for mites during deep scraping)
Why are arthropods an important group of ectoparasites?
- Intermediate hosts for other parasites and vectors for micro-parasites
- Very successful and adaptable – high reproductive potential
What are some arthropods that cause allergic reactions?
Bites or stings by lice, bugs, fleas etc
What are some arthropods that cause disease/ pathogen transmission?
Kissing bugs – Chagas disease
Mosquitoes - dog heartworm
Ticks - Lyme, Anaplasmosis, ect
What is the consequences of arthropods that invade host tissue?
- Cause trauma
- Invade the body tissue of the host
- Fly larvae invasion – Myiasis
- Dermatitis, pruritus (itching
How long does it take a mite to go through an entire life cycle? Where does it take place?
- Entire lifecycle completes on the host.
- Length of life cycle varies, few day (Sarcoptes) to weeks
How long can mites last in the environment?
Environmental survival limited (Only some species can survive few weeks outside the host)
What is a consequence of infection of lice?
- Pediculosis – Pruritus, alopecia, excoriation, hair loss, anaemia
Fleas can be intermediate hosts to what ?
Some nematodes
How are bugs transmitted?
Through contact. They live mostly in the environment, in crevices
What are helminths?
Worms! Invertebrates, Macroparasites
What Phylum do roundworms belong to?
Nematodes
What Phylum do Flatworms belong to?
Platyhelminthes
What phylum do thorny- headed worms come from?
Acanthocephala
Platyhelminthes can be divided into 2 classes. What are they and what is the common name of those within them?
Cestodes (tapeworms) and Trematodes (flukes)
Where can you find Nematodes?
Present in every imaginable habitat. Arctic, Soil, Deep Sea, ect
TRUE or FALSE: Nematodes are Coelomates?
No they are pseudoceolomates