Parasites Flashcards
What are the 2 main classifications of parasites?
Protozoas and Helmiths
What are the subclassifications of protozoas?
Amoebas, Flagellates, Ciliates and Sporozoas
What are the subclassifications of helmiths
Platyhelminths (flatworms) and nematodes (roundworms)
What are the subclassifications of platyhelminths?
Trematodes (flukes) and Cestodes (tapeworms)
Give an example of a amoeba parasite, its transmission route and characteristic feature
Entamoeba Histolytica
Transmitted via faecal oral route
4 nucleus + 1 chromatid line
List 2 flagellated parasites and their associated clinical disease
- Giardia intestinalis: Giardianosis which refers to sudden onset of diarrhoea with foul smelling stools but no blood or mucus. Common cause of ‘Traveller’s Diarrhoea’
- Trichomonas vaginalis:
Trchomoniasis which is sexually transmitted and causes STI in females (~50% symp) and males (~mostly asymp)
- characteristic feature is ‘STRAWBERRY CERVIX’
List a sporozoan parasite
Plasmodium (malaria)
List 2 cestodes (tapeworms) and their associated clinical disease
- Taenia solium
- Intestinal disease
- ** Cysticercosis - worm infiltrates the brain, causing epilepsy, encephalitis and hydrocephalus - Echinococcus Granulosus: Hydatid disease where cysts develop in the liver
List at least 2 different types of flukes (trematodes)
- Liver
- Lung
- Intestinal
- Blood
List the blood fluke and its associated disease
Schistosome
Acute schistomiasis: ‘Swimmer’s itch’
Chronic schistomiasis:
1. S. mansoni and japonicum: HEPATOSPLENOMEGALY and liver failure
- S. haematobium:
RENAL FAILURE AND BLADDER CANCER
What is the liver fluke?
Clonorchis sinensis - infected when humans ingest undercooked FRESHWATER FISH
Biliary tract infections and worse outcome: Biliary tract cancer (cholangiocarcinoma)
What is the intestinal fluke?
Fascidopsis buski - found on water plants
Diarrhoea, intestinal obstruction
What is the lung fluke?
Paragonimus Westermani - raw or undercooked CRAYFISH
Cough, haemoptysis, fever, night sweats (similar to TB)
What is the main transmitter of Clonorchis sinensis?
FRESHWATER FISH with cercaria (free swimming larvae)
What is the main transmitter of Paragonimus Westermani?
CRAYFISH
What kind of infection route is trematodes commonly associated with?
WATER
What is the feature commonly associated with helminths infection?
EOSINOPHILIA (raised eosinophil count)
What does the nematode Onchocerca volvulus cause?
River blindness
What does the nematode Dracunculus Medinesis cause?
Larvae replicates and mature in the gut.
Female adult migrate to skin, forming blister.
Blister ruptures -> high chance for secondary bacterial infection
What does the nematode Angiostrongylus Cantonesis cause and which animal is it related to?
Eosinophilic Meningitis
LINKED TO CONSUMPTION OF SNAILS
Name the mnemonic for intestinal nematodes
EAASTTT
E - Enterobius Vermicularis (Pinworm)
A - Ascaris Lumbicoides (GIANT roundworm)
A - Hookworms
S - Strongyloides stercoralis (threadworm)
T - Trichinella spiralis (‘pork’ worm)
T - Trichuris trichiura (whipworm)
T- Toxocara canis (adult worm)
List at least 2 nematodes that are transmitted via faecal-oral route.
Enterobius
Ascaris
Trichuris
Toxocara
List the 2 nematodes that enter via the penetration of the skin
Strongyloides
Hookworms
Which nematode enters via ingestion of uncooked meat?
Trichinella spiralis
Which nematode causes autoinfection and why?
Stronglyoides: it can complete its life cycle within the human host. Hence, the infection keeps perpetuating since the worms keep multiplying inside human host’s intestines.
What is the main clinical disease of hookworms?
Chronic anaemia and iron deficiency.
Stronglyoides cause _ due to its autoinfection and _ in immunocompromised individuals.
Chronic GIT infections, Hyperinfection syndrome
Which nematode invades the muscle cells?
Trichinella spiralis
Which nematode causes bloody stools?
Trichuris trichiura
Trichuris Dysentery Syndrome (Chronic diarrhoea + Growth/intellectual retardation)
