Parasitic Infections 2 Flashcards
Trypanosomiasis
_____ from genus ____
Parasitic flagellate protozoa
Trypanosoma
true parasite
Trypanosomiasis
Infect variety of hosts – 2 of them cause fatal human diseases known as
African trypanosomiasis (sleeping
sickness)
American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease)
neglected parasitic infections targeted by CDC
Chagas caused by
T. cruzi – mostly rural areas of Latin America
Sleeping sickness caused by
T. brucei – mostly rural Africa
Trypanosoma cruzi is transmitted to animals and people by
insect vectors found only in the Americas
- Blood-sucking “kissing bugs” of the subfamily Triatominae
- Nocturnal, bite you while you are asleep prefer to bite on face - attracted to face - breathing - warm air
Trypanosoma cruzi routs of infections
vectorborne (bight), contaminated food and drinks (sugary drinks - attract bugs), congenital transmission (placenta), and (rarely) blood transfusions or organ transplants
No direct contact transmission
Trypanosoma cruzi Vectors are endemic from
Mexico, Central America, and South America, but Chagas disease have occurred worldwide
T. cruzi infection cycles
mobile vs non-mobile T. cruzi
T. cruzi can infect any ___ cell
nucleated
Bad luck: cardiomyocytes, smooth muscle cells, neurons
cells w/o nuclei - platlets, red blood cells
vsg protein
Variant surface glycoprotein - temporary skins - undergo recombination of pieces of genes - diff types of glycoproteins
there are several large polymorphic glycoproteins on their surface (all tropsamsomes) - Over 1,100 possible versions!
allows for chronic infections that can last a lifetime - by time antibodies devoloped for one another grows back
why vsg protein makes it so hard to diagnose
hapen to take sample when low paracetemia - wont see it - need to take multiple samples
T. cruzi is not a true neurotropic pathogen unlike
its close homologue T. brucei
How does T. cruzi enter the CNS
choroid plexi
CNS only when uncontrolled for a very long time (high levels, high chance into CNS)
T. cruzi has an acute and a chronic phase
if untreated, infection is lifelong - immune can kill 99% but that last 1% comes back
Acute phase of T. cruzi
mostly asymptomatic or mild, general symptoms
Chagomas or Romaña’s sign are unique to Chagas (swelling of the eyelids on the side of the face near the bite wound or where the bug poop was accidentally rubbed into the eye) high inflammation at site of entry
Mostly in children, and immune status will determine if it develops severe complications (cardiac or CNS infection)
chronic phase of T. cruzi infection
After the acute phase resolves, even with treatment it enters a chronic phase
Most people remain asymptomatic (chronic indeterminate)
~30% will develop life-threatening symptoms (chronic determinate): cardiac, intestinal, or nervous infection
Most deaths are due to hearth failure – 1/3rd are due to clinical meningoencephalitis
Congenital and non-vectorborne infections are considered acute
diagnosis of T. cruzi
Acute phase – direct visualization of parasites on blood smears
Chronic phase – serologic testing since parasites are no longer detectable
Acute phase can be treated - chronic phase
has no treatment - treat symptoms
T. cruzi treatment
Two drugs are used – side effects are common and increase in severity with age
Not recommended for adults (>18 years)
drug - depends on age and health conditions
Chronic phase - treatment by cardiologist, gastroenterologist, or neurologist - always have escapes - cannot take drugs forever
sleeping sickness is caused by
two subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei
> 90% of cases caused by T. brucei gambiense - west - less pathogenic
rest by T. brucei rhodesiense. - east - neurotropic - also in flies - change behavior - inc hunger, inc food, inc chance transmit
African trypanosomiasis is transmitted by
the tsetse fly, which is found only in rural Africa
resuvars for African trypanosomiasis
large resuvars - hard to control
Animals, especially livestock, can also be infected
Only way of infection is vectorborne, but animals represent an important reservoir - implicated on dissemination
Rare reports of transplacental infection
If untreated both African trypanosomiasis are
fatal
tale tale symptom of CNS African trypanosomiasis
disrupt 24hr sleep cycle