Immunology - week 3 parasites 2 Flashcards
What organism causes Entameoba histolytica?
Amebiasis
How is Amebiasis transmitted?
Ingestive - direct fecal/oral - anal sex
How can you tell the difference between trophozoites in an invasive disease of Amebiasis and cysts in a non-invasive case of Amebiasis?
Trophozoites: Diarrheal stool Cysts: formed stool
What is the life cycle of Entameoba histolytica?
1) Infective acid-resistant cysts ingested, excystation in colon 2) Trophozoites attach to colonic mucin and divide 3) Resistant cysts form in colon and shed in feces 4) Trophozoites can penetrate the mucosal layer which leads to invasive disease
What is the pathology of Amebiasis? (3)
1) Carriers: Chronic for months or years - shed millions of cysts per day
2) Dysentary: Severe bloody diarrhae - invade colonic epithelium and submucosal ulcers
3) Invasive: Rare - dissemination throughout body but mostly liver (not always associated with diarrhea)
How do you diagnosis Amebiasis? (2)
1) cysts in stool or trophozoites in bloody diarrhea 2) travel history is essential (amebiasis often picked up in developing countries)
How is Giardia transmitted?
Ingesitive: fecal/oral from animals also from anal sex ex. animal poops in stream and you drink water and get it
What is the lifecycle of Giardia?
1) injest cysts - trophozoites excyst in upper small intestine 2) encystation in colon 3) excrete cysts in stool (trophozoites are very unstable outside body)
What’s the pathology of Giardia?
Onset of 2 weeks, asympotomatic to “explosive” diarrhea Most people don’t need treatment
What are the apicomplexan parasites of humans? (4)
cryptosporidium
Toxoplasma
plasmodium
Babesia
What are common characteristics with Apicomplexan Parasites?
Obligate intracellular parasites (must invade to live)
How are Cryptosporidiosis transmitted?
Fecal oral transmission
Where does Cryptosoporidiosis reside in the body?
Intestine
What is unique regarding the lifecycle of Cryptosporidium? Why is this important?
Extra-cytoplasmic - developmental cycle in brush boarder Important: difficult to treat - aids/immune compromised patients particularly vulnerable
What is the pathology of Cryptosporidiosis? (3)
1) 3 or more loose watery bowl movements per 24 hours 2) Symptoms similar to giardia but more diahhrae and fluid loss 3) Healthy people have an immune response to clear parasite
How is Cryptosporidiosis diagnosed?
2-5 mm cysts in stool - red cup and saucer shaped
What is the definitive host for Toxoplasmosis?
Cats
How is Toxoplasmosis transmitted?
Ingestive: fecal/oral and undercooked meat (can be in any warm blooded animal) Transplacental: congenital infection (which is why it’s so important for pregnant woman)
What is the lifecycle of toxoplasmas?
1) Oocytes shed by cats - can last for a while in environment 2) ingested by warm blooded animal where it goes through sexual reproduction 3) Goes into muscle or neuronal tissue: cysts form 4) animal gets eaten
When should a pregnant woman not be worried about Taxoplasmosis?
If a pregnant woman has already been exposed to it then they will have developed an immune response and will be immune to a secondary infection
Why is Toxoplasma dangerious for pregnant women?
Toxoplasma easily crosses the placenta and grows well in the brain tissue of the fetus causing lots of problems (usually abortion)
How is Toxoplasmosis diagnosed?
1) serology - use an indirect immunofluoresence (IFA) 2) confusion or seizure