Introcution To Parasitology Flashcards
What is meant by the term parasite?
A parasite is an organism that lives in or on another organism and derives it’s nutrients at the expense of this host.
How do you classify parasites?
Based on cellular structure and life cycle
What are the types of parasites?
Protozoa
Helminths
Ectoparasites
Describe protozoa.
Microscopic
Singe celled
Free living or parasitic
Can multiply in humans
How are Protozoa transmitted?
Live in human intestine so the faecal oral route
And live in blood so via insect bites or needles
What is an example of protozoan infection?
Malaria caused by plasmodium parasite in anopheles mosquito
What are symptoms of malaria
Fever
Chills
Head ache
How is amoebae Protozoa transmitted?
Faecal oral route
What is amoebic dysentry?
Protozal infection
Bloody diarrhoea
Cyst in stool
Where do Protozoa affect the most?
Affects all body systems but mainly the liver
What are round worms?
Nematods
What are tape worms ?
Cestodes
What are flatworms?
Trematodes
How do we diagonose parasitic worms?
We look at the eggs in the stools
What’s a common diseases of nematodes?
What happens int he diseases?
Pin worms in children
Nematodes which lay eggs in the anus
Making it very itchy
Scratch and the eggs get stuck under fingernails
And enters mouth
What are ascaris worms?
They are really long worms which block the intestine and gall bladder
Bowel obstruction
And require surgical removal
What effects can tapeworms have on humans?
The one found in meat can cause neurocysticercosis
Cysts in the brain bits of the brain are eaten up causing seizures especially the pork ones
Can cause problems in other parts of the body
Describe schistosomiasis
Acquired through swimming in infected fresh water
Where the snail intermediary host is present
The snail releases the parasite
Swimmers itch- red patches where the parasite buries itself into the skin
Can lead to liver failure and bladder cancer.
What are ectoparasites?
Parasites which live outside the body
What methods can we use to diagnose malaria?
Do a blood smear test
Find plasmodium in the blood
Sing the species and the number of RBCs affected to show the severity of illness
What methods can we use for enteric parasites?
Stool sample
Look for eggs, cysts and parasites themselves
How can we diagnose helminth infections?
High levels of eosinophils
Or high levels of IgE
What is indirect testing?
Serology and rapid testing for parasites
To test for antigens and parts of the parasite
How to test for malaria?
Parasitaemia
Special stain blood film for red blood cells
How to raise awareness of malaria?
A awareness
B bite prevention
C chemoprophalixas
D diagnosis
What’s an example of nematode?
Pinworm
What’s the difference between thick and thin blood film testing?
Thick blood filaments have a larger sample of blood hence it’s easier to see parasites
