Parasites Flashcards
What GI protozoa affects campers and hikers from unfiltered water?
Giardia
What is most commonly the cause of severe diarrhea in AIDs and other immunocompromised patients?
Cryptosporidium
What are is a common deficiency found in chronic Giardia infection?
DAKE Vitamin Deficiency – Since they are fat soluble and giardia causes steatorrhea.
If a patient drank contaminated water with cysts while they were out camping and has developed blood diarrhea and dysentary, what might have caused this?
Entamoeba Histolytica
What is a commonality between Giardia and Histolytica infections in diagnosing them?
- There will be trophozoites in the stool of these patients
How can you diagnose Cryptosporidium over C.Diff in chronic diarrhea?
Partial Acid-Fast stain of the Oocytes
If a fetus is born and is found to have chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus/seizures, and intracranial calcifications, what did the mother most likely contract while pregnant?
Toxoplasmosis – from the goddamn cat?!
This is the Triad to know.
What would you be looking for on CT/MRI if you suspect a toxoplasmosis infection in a patient?
Ring-Enhancing Lesion
**Treat with Sulfadiazine/Pryamethimine
Who are most at risk for toxoplasmosis infections?
Pregnant Women – around cats
Immunocompromised individuals - can reactivate
If a young 17 year old when skiing at a lake and within the week he develops meningitis and dies. What caused this?
Naegleria Fowleri
If a patient was recently in Africa and returned home and has noticed enlarged lymphnodes and intermittent fevers, what was the most likely vector he was exposed to?
Tsete Fly
- African Sleeping Sickness (Trypanosoma Brucei)
What can you treat CNS Trypanosoma Brucei with?
Suramin – blood
Melarsoprol – CNS
If a patient presents to the clinic after returning from africa with a fever, constant headache, and blood work indicates anemia, what might you expect to find on microscopic blood work?
Trophozoite Ring within RBCs
Don’t put a Ring on it while in Africa
What is the difference between Plasmodium Vivax and Falciparum?
P. Vivax – 48hr fever cycles, hypnozoite remain dormant in the liver – can reactive later
P. Falciparum – irregular fevers, can cause capillary occlusion of small vessels (brain) – very deadly
– P. Malariae – 72 hour fevers
What are the different treatment methods for the kinds of malaria?
Chloroquine, for most.
If severe + IV Quinidine
If Vivax + Primaquine
What is an important consideration when starting a patient on anti-malaria treatments?
Can cause hemalytic anemia due to G6PD Deficiency (Many Africans have this) – Need to Test
– Chloroquine = Fine, but the rest need testing first
A patient was recently camping in the NE United States and develops fever and hemalytic anemia. Lab findings indicate a “Maltese Cross” in the RBCs, what vector infected the patient?
Ixodes Tick
- Babesiosis (This case)
- Borrelia Burgdorferi (Lyme Disease)
If a patient previously lived in South America and is now living in the United States, developed achalasia and dilated cardiomyopathy, what could have caused this?
Reduvid Bug
- Trypanosoma Cruzi
A patient comes to the clinic after recently traveling to South America with unilateral periorbital swelling, what might you be suspicious of?
Trypanosoma Cruzi
A patient who was traveling in the Middle East returns back to the United States and after several days is unwell and is found to have fever, pancytopenia, hepatospenomegaly, what might she be infected with?
Leishmaniasis Donovani
- Sand fly
- Amastigote inclusions within Macrophages
What commonly causes anal pruritus in children who go to daycare?
Enterobius Vermicularis (pinworms)
What are the common manifestations of Ancylostoma Duodenale and Necatar Americanus?
Mature in GI and attach to the wall causing Anemia
– Hook worms, penetrate the skin, enter circulation, cough up, into GI and mature
If a patient is infected with Ascaris Lumbricoides, where might you find the worms blocking the GI tract?
Ileocecal Valve
- treatment by Albendazole, can cause obstruction due to dead worms
What nematode infection can penetrate the skin and manifests similar to peptic ulcer?
Strongyloides Stercoralis
- can penetrate the intestine and autoinfection
