Leishmania Flashcards
What is the insect vector for leishmania?
Sandfly
Inside the human host, which cells do leishmania parasites replicate within?
Macrophages
What are the two forms of leishmania and how are they different?
Promastigotes: in sandfly: have a flagellum + are motile
Amastigotes: in humans: have resorbed their flagellum + are NOT motile
Where, across the world, are sandflies found?
Warm parts of the world e.g. Southern Europe, Asia, Africa,
Describe the appearance and behaviour of sandflies.
Small + hairy
Hop around before settling down to bite
Unlike mosquitoes, they are silent in attack
What are the four major forms of leishmaniasis?
Visceral Leishmaniasis
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
Diffuse Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis
What are 4 features of visceral leishmaniasis?
Fever
Weight loss
Enlarged liver + spleen
Anaemia
What are 3 risk factors for visceral leishmaniasis?
Malnutrition
Immunosuppression (e.g. because of drugs)
HIV
Which type of leishmania causes the majority of cases of visceral leishmaniasis in Ethiopia?
L. donovani
What other clinical manifestation of leishmania can occur during or after treatment for visceral leishmaniasis?
Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL)
Describe 3 features of local cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Large, irregular ulcer; surrounded by papular, crusted lesions containing parasites
Heals spontaneously
Immunity from reinfection
Describe 5 features of diffused cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Disseminated lesions Resembles leprosy No spontaneous healing Difficult to treat Frequent relapses
Which part of the body does mucocutaneous leishmaniasis typically affect?
Mouth + nose
Describe 3 features of mucocutaneous leishmaniasis.
Disfiguring + destroys mucous membranes
No spontaneous healing
Frequent relapses
