Parasites

Question 1

What are the two main groups of parasites?

Answer 1

protozoa

helminths

Question 2

Protozoa

Answer 2

~ microbes, single celled organisms

e.g. Plasmodium + Leishmania

Question 3

Helminths

Answer 3

~ multicellular, many sizes
~ often have small eggs
e.g. Schistosoma + Ascaris

Question 4

Malaria genus name

Answer 4

Plasmodium spp

Question 5

Give three examples of parasites (excluding malaria, leishmania, ascariasis and schistosomiasis).

Answer 5

Trypanosoma
Giardia
Toxoplasma

Question 6

Parasite

Answer 6

eukaryotic organisms that live in or on another host organism and cause the host harm

Question 7

Direct detection methods

Answer 7

visualisation of the parasite itself or detection of some specific component of the parasite (e.g. DNA)

Question 8

Indirect detection method

Answer 8

detection of the effects of the parasite e.g. clinical diagnosis, biochemical tests, serological tests

Question 9

Sensitivity

Answer 9

proportion of true positives identified

~ high sensitivity = small no. false negative

Question 10

Specificity

Answer 10

proportion of true negatives

~ high specificity = small no. false positive

Question 11

Leucopenia

Answer 11

a reduction in the number of white cells in the blood

Question 12

Thrombocytopenia

Answer 12

abnormally low levels of thrombocytes, also known as platelets, in the blood

Question 13

Löffler syndrome

Answer 13

an allergic hypersensitivity reaction similar to athsma