Parasitiology & Zoonosis

Question 1

Bacteria?

Answer 1

Bacteria?

.Bacteria live as single cells which measure no more than a few thousandths of a mm long.

.A pinhead would be able to hold many hundreds of millions of bacterial cells.

.Some bacteria can be helpful like yogurt bacteria and others very harmful like E.coli.

.The hair like structures surrounding the bacterium cell is called pili.

.Spiral shaped bacteria are found in water e.g. leptospirosis.

Question 2

Viruses?

Answer 2

Viruses?

.Can only function inside the cell of another organism and are minute obligate intracellular parasites.

.Antibiotics have no effect on a virus.

.Can be transmitted in water vapour (aerosol).

.Cause cell damage. Is only able to attach to cells that carry a compatible receptor e.g. flu in the respiratory tract.

Question 3

Canine viruses?

Answer 3

Canine viruses?

.Kennel cough .Distemper

.Canine enteritis .Parvovirus

.Rabies .Hepatitis

.Tracheobronchitis

Question 4

Fungal parasites?

Answer 4

Fungal parasites?

.A fungal organism secretes digestive substances onto other living surfaces to obtain their nutrition.

Question 5

Dermatophytosis (Ringworm)?

Answer 5

Dermatophytosis (Ringworm)?

.Highly contagious and a zoonosis. It reproduces by means of spores.

.Spores can cause respiratory problems and in some instances death. A fungal organism spreads its spores from the centre of the main growth area.

.Hair will fall out and the area will be very sore.

.Diagnose by woods lamp or skin scraping and growing it in a lab for 10 - 12 days.

.Can live up to 24 months in the environment.

Question 6

Parasites can carry and transmit?

Answer 6

Parasites can carry and transmit?

.Viruses and bacterial pathogens.

Question 7

Types of pathogen transmission?

Answer 7

Types of pathogen transmission?

.Vector - an arthropod responsible for the transmission of a disease from one animal to another. (Only a carrier)

.Fomite - inanimate objects (indirect)

.Aerosol - transmitted through water vapour.

Question 8

Disinfectant?

Answer 8

Disinfectant?

.Kills or prevents the growth of most pathogens.

Question 9

Direct contact?

Answer 9

Direct contact?

.Is the direct body surface to body surface contact resulting in physical transfer of microorganisms from an infected animal to a non infected animal.

.Physical contact between animals e.g. licking, grooming, sleeping, fighting, coitus.

.Microorganisms transmitted this way need to live on an animal to survive.

Question 10

Indirect contact?

Answer 10

Indirect contact?

.Is the result of physical transfer of microorganisms from the original animal source to a new host without direct contact between the two.

.No physical contact between animals.

.Transmission happens when the animal contaminates the environment with body fluids.

Question 11

Infectious diseases?

Answer 11

Infection diseases?

.An infectious disease is caused by the invasion of harmful microorganisms or pathogens, that will grow in the body tissues.

.The pathogens are then transmitted between individuals and the disease spreads.

.It may or may not be contagious

.Bacteria .Viruses .Fungi

.Protozoa .Parasites

Question 12

Incubation period?

Answer 12

Incubation period?

.The time the animal has got the disease to the time when clinical signs appear.

.Has the disease but hasn’t shown signs yet.

.The time between getting the disease and showing signs.

Question 13

Immunisation?

Answer 13

Immunisation?

.Vaccines are given to stimulate antibody production and prevent infection of specific diseases.

Question 14

Hyperimmune serums?

Answer 14

Hyperimmune serums?

.Already contain antibodies are usually only given when there is a high risk of the disease having already been transmitted.

Question 15

Immunity?

Answer 15

Immunity?

.Describes security against a particular pathogen , which makes the animal non - susceptible to certain specific diseases.

.Inherent immunity - genetically some species are immune to certain diseases e.g. cats to lepto.

.Active immunity - the animal produces its own antibodies to disease e.g. vaccination or post disease.

.Passive immunity - the animal is given antibodies to a specific disease e.g. via placenta or by anti serum.

.Innate immunity - present at birth

Question 16

Vaccines?

Answer 16

Vaccines?

.Stimulate the immune response to produce antibodies, which are then able to fight the disease should infection occur.

.Provide immunity to the susceptible animal by introducing a disrupted and harmless version of the pathogen into the body.

.Booster vaccinations keep this immunity stimulated.

Question 17

Maternal immunity?

Answer 17

Maternal immunity?

.Starts to diminish usually between 6-9 weeks of age.

Question 18

Convalescent carriers?

Answer 18

Convalescent carriers?

.Had the disease and recovered.

Question 19

Healthy carriers?

Answer 19

Healthy carriers?

.Never had it.

Question 20

Systemic?

Answer 20

Systemic?

.Spread through the whole body in the bloodstream.

Question 21

Infection terms?

Answer 21

Infection terms?

.Subclinical infection - has no clinical signs.

.Bacteriaemia - bacteria in the blood.

.Pyaemia - bacteria and WBCs forming pus in the blood.

.Septicaemia - bacteria multiplying in the blood.

Question 22

Non - infectious disease?

Answer 22

Non - infectious disease?

.A disease that is not caused by microorganisms but is usually due to a disturbance in the normal metabolism of the animal e.g. diabetes, neoplasia, poisoning.

Question 23

Contagious disease?

Answer 23

Contagious disease?

.A disease that is able to spread from one animal to another via direct or indirect contact.

Question 24

Bacteridal/ bactericide (Bcidal)?

Answer 24

Bacteridal/ bactericide (Bcidal)?

.Is a substance that kills bacteria.

.They are disinfectants, antiseptics or antibiotics.

.Hydrogen peroxide is a disinfectant.

Question 25

Ectoparasites?

Answer 25

Ectoparasites?

.Most are arthropods belonging either to the insect or to the acari group but certain species of fungi are also ectoparasites.

.Fleas, mites, lice, ticks and some fungi.

Question 26

Endoparasites?

Answer 26

Endoparasites?

.Roundworms, tapeworms, flukes and protozoa.

.Blood parasites e.g. babesia spp and giardiasis.

.Identified by examining faeces or blood.

Question 27

Parasite?

Answer 27

Parasite?

.A eukaryotic organism that is either a ecto or endoparasites.

.Some can live in the environment for up to 1 year e.g. worms and ringworm.

.Facultative parasite - they can, but do not have to infest living animals.

.Obligate parasite - cannot complete their life cycle without an animal host.

.Signs of parasites - diarrhea, visually seeing them, anaemia, heart failure e.g. heartworm and coughing e.g. lungworm.

Question 28

Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea)?

Answer 28

Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea)?

.Has been recorded living successfully on cats, dogs, rabbits, ferrets, sheep, goats and calves.

.Cam cause anaemia, carry diseases and bite humans but not live on them.

Question 29

Arthropods?

Answer 29

Arthropods?

.Lice, flea, mosquito, sand fly, mites and ticks.

Question 30

Mosquito?

Answer 30

Mosquito?

.The vector of heartworm.

Question 31

Acari?

Answer 31

Acari?

.Ticks and mites.

Question 32

Mange?

Answer 32

Mange?

.Mite infection

Question 33

Protozoa?

Answer 33

Protozoa?

.Single celled organism.

Question 34

Worms?

Answer 34

Worms?

.Some larvae are swallowed and migrate from the intestine to the lungs e.g. lungworm.

.Chronic coughing can be a sign of lung worm.

.Heartworm - can cause right sided heart failure.

.Tapeworm- contains both male and female reproductive tracts, so a single tapeworm can reproduce without need of other tapeworms.

Question 35

Feline viruses?

Answer 35

Feline viruses?

.Enteritis .Herpesvirus (cat flu)

.Calicivirus .Peritonitis

.Leukaemia virus .Rabies

Question 36

Types of vaccines?

Answer 36

Types of vaccines?

.Live vaccine - contains live organisms that have been attenuated by culturing the pathogen in controlled conditions. These stimulate a good immune response. These stimulate a good immune response but have the risk of causing the disease e.g. parvo and Fl enteritis. Warmth will kill the microorganisms within a live vaccine

.Killed (inactivated) vaccine - contains dead organisms killed by ultraviolet, heat or sublethal chemicals such as formalin e.g. lepto.As dead organisms cannot replicate within the body and are gradually removed. Several doses are required to produce sufficient antibody levels.

Question 37

First vaccination?

Answer 37

First vaccination?

.Is given as the maternally derived antibody levels begin to fall and antibodies will be formed within 7-10 days.

.A second vaccine given 2-3 weeks later which will produce antibodies within 12-24 hours.