Giardiasis

Question 1

What is the parasite that causes Giardiasis?

Answer 1

Giardia lamblia

Question 2

True or false: G. lamblia is non-invasive and affects the upper small intestine

Answer 2

True

Question 3

What is the host of G. lamblia?

Answer 3

Human

Question 4

What is the life cycle of Giardia?

Answer 4

Infective cysts ingested from contaminated water or food -> cysts inhabit small intestine and become trophozoites -> through binary fission, they multiply and produce more cysts -> infective cysts and trophozoites passed in stool

Question 5

True or false: Infective cysts does not survive in the environment, while trophozoites do

Answer 5

False, cysts survive in the soil for up to 3 minutes, while trophozoites do not survive in the environment

Question 6

How many cysts are sufficient to infect humans?

Answer 6

10

Question 7

What is the cyst resistant to?

Answer 7

Chlorine

Question 8

What is the cyst viable in?

Answer 8

Surface water

Question 9

What is the cyst not viable in?

Answer 9

Freezing

Question 10

What induces the excystation process?

Answer 10

Stomach acids

Question 11

Which of the following are not features of the trophozoite?
a. Two nuclei
b. Functional mitochondria
c. Lack of peroxisomes
d. Anaerobic respiration

Answer 11

b

Question 12

What are found in the cytoplasm of the trophozoite?

Answer 12

Virus and bacteria

Question 13

What is the characteristic of the ventral disc?

Answer 13

Rich in tubulin and serves as an attachment

Question 14

True or false: Giardiasis can be fatal for immunocompromised patients

Answer 14

True

Question 15

What regions are affected by Giardiasis?

Answer 15

Worldwide

Question 16

What are the modes of contamination?

Answer 16

Contaminated water, rivers and lakes, contaminated food and person-to-person contact

Question 17

Which other mammals can serve as reservoirs?

Answer 17

Cattle, sheep, beavers, muskrats and rats

Question 18

What are the symptoms of giardiasis?

Answer 18

No symptoms in most of the population
Diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight loss in 50% of people

Question 19

Which clinical symptoms can be observed in babies?

Answer 19

Malabsorption and dehydration

Question 20

What is the pathology of giardiasis?

Answer 20

Asymptomatic or severe enteropathy with malabsorption

Question 21

How can pathology in the small bowel be evaluated?

Answer 21

Measuring the villus to crypt ratio

Question 22

In an acute phase of the infection, the height of the villi decreases or increases?

Answer 22

Decreases

Question 23

In an acute phase of the infection, the height of the crypt decreases or increases?

Answer 23

Increases

Question 24

What are the reasons for acute or chronic giardiasis?

Answer 24

Unknown

Question 25

Malabsorption occurs during which phase of infection?

Answer 25

Acute phase

Question 26

When is the presence of trophozoites and cysts the most predominant?

Answer 26

Acute phase of infection

Question 27

Which of the following is linked to innate or adaptive immunity? a. Presence of mucus b. Inflammatory reaction c. Plasma cells in the crypt d. Human milk

Answer 27

a. Innate b. Adaptive c. Adaptive d. Innate

Question 28

Which antibodies are prominent?

Answer 28

IgM and IgA

Question 29

Which antibody is prominent in the early phase of infection?

Answer 29

IgM

Question 30

Which antibody is prominent during the acute phase?

Answer 30

IgA

Question 31

True or false: Circulating antibodies are found in the blood, but are not useful for protection or diagnosis

Answer 31

True

Question 32

What are the diagnostic techniques?

Answer 32

ELISA, PCR, stool examination for trophozoites and cysts

Question 33

What is a common treatment?

Answer 33

Metronidazole

Question 34

What is the action of Metronidazole?

Answer 34

Selectively binds to and damages DNA in anaerobic protozoa