Intestinal Protozoa Flashcards
List medically important protozoa and their diseases
(a) Amoebas: Entamoeba histolytica, Naegleria,
Acanthamoeba.
(b) Flagellates: Trypanosoma cruzi
(c) Sporozoa: Toxoplasma gondii
Protozoa - classify by motility
(a) Mastigophora (flagella) - Trypanosoma cruzi, Giardia lamblia
(b) Sarcodina (pseudopodia) - Amoebas
(c) Apicomplexa (microtubule complex, commonly
referred to as sporozoa) - Toxoplasma gondi, Plasmodium
(d) Ciliophora (ciliates) - Balantidium coli
Ciliophora spp
Balatidium coli
Apicomplexa spp
Split into two categories Coccidia Isospora belli Toxoplasma gondii Sarcocystis spp. Cryptosporidium parvum Pneumocystis carinii
Piroplasma Plasmodium falciparum Plasmodium vivax Plasmodium malariae Plasmodium ovale Babesia microti
Kinetoplastida spp
(Flagellated) Trypanosoma gambiense Trypanosoma rhodiense Trypanosoma cruzi Leishmania spp
Amoebic abscess (amoebiasis, amoebic dysentery) agent, epidemiology
Agent: Entamoeba histolytica
E. dispar (non invasive)
Epidemiology Contaminated water Poor sanitation - daycares Close proximity places - military barracks, nursing home, prisons Human waste as fertilizer
Entamoeba coli, E. hartmanii, Endolimax nana, Iodamoeba bütschlii non pathogenic to humans (T/F)
True
Amoebic abscess - transmission
–faeco-oral, food and water contaminated by flies/roaches, oral-anal sex
All cases of amoebic abscess are symptomatic
False
Amoebic abscess - Pathogenesis
- Cysts pass in stool of infected person
- Cysts ingested
- Cysts pass through stomach ->
Gastric acid promotes trophozoite release in small intestine. - Trophozoites multiply
((may cause necrosis + ulceration in the large intestine))
- Flask shaped ulceration = secondary bacterial infection/peritonitis due to damage to intestinal wall
If parasite moves to peritoneal cavity = goes to bloodstream -> goes to diff organs
(intermittent diarrhoea with abdominal pain and weight loss).
Virulence factor of amoebiasis, explain
Trophozoites invade BVs of the portal system,
surviving lytic complement & neutrophils.
Result: Gain access to the liver parenchyma.
What is second leading cause of mortality due to parasites?
Entamoeba histolytica
Possible parasitic cause of diarrhea in infants
E. moshkovskii
E. histolytica - host range
Mainly humans.
But: higher primates, dogs, cats and some rodents
Which Trophozoite has the foll description:
Trophozoites are round with large,
lobular pseudopodia and a clock-face nucleus.
E. histolytica
- Central nucleus (most times)
- Erythrocytes seen in cytoplasm means digested erythrocytes
Active, feeding stage
Describe cyst stage of E. histolytica
Cysts are smaller than trophozoites.
They have 4 nuclei and chromatoid bars (tightly
packed mRNA with rounded ends).
-Infective stage
What do E. histolytica and Entamoeba coli have in common?
They look alike
Why is it important to distinguish between E histolytica and E coli?
E coli is not pathogenic in the GIT but E histolytica is; need to know if treatment is necessary
E coli vs E histolytica
E. coli-coarser chromatin, eccentrically located
endosome (protein trafficking) and the absence of erythrocytes in the cytoplasm
-ingested erythrocytes appear as dark
inclusions.
Entamoeba coli cyst
-8 nuclei (compared to 4 nuclei seen in E. histolytica)
and
-smaller chromatid bodies that are often filamentous
E. histolytica - life cycle
- Ingestion of cysts
- Excystation in small intestine
- Division of quadrinucleate cyst
into 4 and then 8 trophozoites - Trophozoites move to colonize the colon
- Encystation
- Excretion of cysts
- Ingestion of cyst by the patient
Epidemiologic factors
Events, characteristics, or other definable entities that have the potential to bring about a change in a health condition.
Epidemiologic factors - Amoebiasis
(i)Strain virulence - classic strain, non-classic strain; Laredo , Huff; pathogen zymodemes (ii) Susceptibility of the host (iii) Nutrition status (iv) Immune-system. • Breakdown of immunologic barrier (tissue invasion)
Virulence factors
Virulence factors:
- assist and promote colonization of the host e.g. adhesins, invasins, antiphagocytic factors.
- Bring damage to the host e.g. toxins, hemolysins, proteases