FA - Micro - Parasitology Flashcards
Giardiasis - Transmission?
Cysts in water.
Giardiasis - Features?
- Bloating
- Flatulence
- Foul-smelling
- Fatty diarrhea (often seen in campers/hikers)
Giardiasis - Diagnosis?
Trophozoites OR cysts in stool.
Giardiasis - Treatment?
Metronidazole.
Amebiasis - Features?
- Bloody diarrhea (dysentery)
- Liver abscess (“Anchovy paste” exudate)
- RUQ pain (histology shows flask-shaped ulcer if submucosal abscess of colon ruptures).
Amebiasis - Transmission?
Cysts in water.
Amebiasis - Diagnosis?
Serology and/or trophozoites (with RBCs in the cytoplasm) OR cysts (with up to 4 nuclei) in stool.
Amebiasis - Treatment?
- Metronidazole
2. Iodoquinol for asymptomatic CYST passers.
Cryptosporidium - Features?
Severe diarrhea in AIDS. Mild disease (watery diarrhea) in immunocompetent.
Cryptosporidium - Transmission?
Oocysts in water.
Cryptosporidium - Diagnosis?
Oocysts on acid-fast stain.
Cryptosporidium treatment?
- Prevention (by filtering city water supplies).
2. NITAZOXANIDE in immunocompetent hosts.
T.gondii - causes?
Reactivation in AIDS ==> Brain abscess seen as ring-enhancing brain lesions on MRI.
Congenital toxo - classical triad?
- Chorioretinitis
- Hydrocephalus
- Intracranial calcifications
T.gondii - transmission?
- Cysts in meat (MC).
- Oocysts in cat feces.
- Crosses placenta (pregnant women should avoid cats).
T.gondii - diagnosis?
Serology or biopsy (tachyzoites).
Toxo - Treatment?
Sulfadiazine + pyrimethamine.
Naegleria fowleri - causes?
Rapidly fatal meningoencephalitis.
N.fowleri - transmission?
- Swimming in freshwater lakes .
2. Enters via cribriform plate.
N.fowleri - diagnosis?
Amoebas in spinal fluid.
N.fowleri treatment?
Amphotericin B has been effective for a few survivors.
T.brucei - causes?
African sleeping sickness.
African sleeping sickness - features?
- Enlarged lymph nodes
- Recurring fever (due to ANTIGENIC VARIATION)
- Somnolence
- Coma
T.brucei - Transmission?
Tsetse fly - a painful bite.
T.brucei - diagnosis?
TRYPOMASTIGOTE in blood smear.
T.brucei - Treatment?
- Suramin ==> Blood-borne disease.
2. Melarsoprol ==> CNS penetration.
Malaria - Features?
- Fever
- Headache
- Anemia
- Splenomegaly
P.vivax/ovale - Features?
48h-cycle - tertian; includes fever on 1st day and 3rd day, thus fevers are actually 48h apart.
P.vivax/ovale - Dormant form?
Hypnozoites in liver.
P.falciparum - features?
- Severe
- Irregular fever patterns
- Parasitized RBCs occlude capillaries in brain (cerebral malaria), kidney, lungs.
P.malariae - cycle?
72h - quartan.
Plasmodium - transmission?
Mosquito (Anopheles).
Plasmodium - diagnosis?
Blood smear:
- Trophozoite ring form within RBC.
- Schizont containing merozoites.
Plasmodium - treatment?
- Begin with chloroquine, which blocks PLASMODIUM HEME POLYMERASE.
- If resistant - use mefloquine or atovaquone/proguanil.
Plasmodium - Life-threatening - treatment?
- IV quinidine (test for G6PD).
2. ARTESUNATE.
P.vivax/ovale treatment?
Add primaquine for hypnozoite (test for G6PD).
Babesiosis - features?
- Fever
2. Hemolytic anemia
Babesiosis - where?
Predominantly in northeastern US.
Babesiosis - special risk?
Asplenia –> Incr. risk for severe disease.
Babesia - Transmission?
Ixodes tick (same as B.burgdorferi) - often coinfection.
Babesia - diagnosis?
- Blood smear: Ring form - Maltese cross.
2. PCR.
Babesiosis - Treatment?
Atovaquone + Azithro
T.cruzi - causes?
Chagas
Chagas - features?
- DCM + APICAL ATROPHY.
- Megacolon
- Megaesophagus
T.cruzi - where?
Predominantly in South America.
T.cruzi - transmission?
- Reduviid bug - “kissing bug”
- Feces
- Deposited in a painless bite (much like a kiss)
T.cruzi - diagnosis?
TRYPOMASTIGOTE in blood smear.
T.cruzi - treatment?
- Benznidazole
2. Nifurtimox
L.donovani - causes?
Visceral leishmaniasis (kala-azar).
Visceral leishmaniasis - features?
- Spiking fevers
- HSM
- Pancytopenia
L.donovani - transmission?
Sand fly
L.donovani - diagnosis?
Macrophages containing AMASTIGOTES.
L.donovani - treatment?
- Amphotericin B.
2. Sodium STIBOGLUCONATE.
T.vaginalis - causes?
Vaginitis.
T.vaginalis - not to be confused with?
G.vaginalis - gram variable bacterium associated with bacterial vaginosis.