Parasitology 🪱 Flashcards
Parasites of CNS and Special senses
- Free-living amoebae.
- AfricanTrypanosma
- Cysticercosis.
- Onchocerca volvulus.
Sarcodina (Amoebae) Free-living amoebae
- Naegleria fowleri
- Acanthamoeba castellani
Morphology of Naegleria fowleri amoeboid trophozoite
- Elongate with broad anterior end and tapering posterior end.
- Size: 10-20μ.
- Nucleus has a large central karyosome.
- Actively motile with broad rounded pseudopodia (lobopodia).
- Cytoplasmic inclusion: food, contractile, and phagocytic vacuoles.
- Trophozoite takes the amoebic form in tissues and CSF.
Morphology of Naegleria fowleri flagellated form
- Pear-shaped or oval.
- Two long equal flagellate.
- Amoeba changes to flagellated form when comes in contact with warm water.
- Never found in tissues.
what does N. Fowleri ameboid form change into when it comes in contact with warm water?
- Amoeba changes to flagellated form when comes in contact with warm water.
Morphology of Naegleria fowleri cyst
- Rounded.
- Size: 7-10μ.
- Smooth double wall.
- Mono-nucleated.
- Cytoplasmic inclusions: Contractile and food vacuoles.
- Only found in soil, never in tissues or CSF.
what type of flagellates are AfricanTrypanosomes?
haemo-somatic flagellates
Morphology of Trypomastigote forms of trypansoma
- Trypomastigotes have a small subterminal kinetoplast at the posterior end of the parasites.
- Long slender form: 30μ, with a long free flagellum and actively motile.
- Intermediate form: 25μ, with a short free flagellum.
- Short stumpy form: 20μ, without a free flagellum and sluggish.
Morphology of Cysticercus
- Spherical or ovoid cysts with the head invaginated appearing as a milky spot.
- Microscopically the rostellum, suckers and hooks are apparent.
Infective stage of Cysticercosis
eggs or gravid segments
Adult morphology of Onchocerca volvulus
Nematode: white slender worms with cuticular striations.
- Male: 4cm x 0.1 mm, with curved posterior end & 2 spicules.
- Female: 50 cm x 0.3 mm, vulva is 1 mm from anterior end.
Classes of parasites of CNS
Sarcodina (Amoebae) Free-living amoebae:
- Naegleria fowleri
- Acanthamoeba castellani
Mastigophora (haemo-somatic flagellates) AfricanTrypanosoma:
- Trypanosoma gambiense
Tissue cestodes:
- Cysticercosis
Tissue nematodes (Filarial worms):
- Onchocerca volvulus
Morpholgy of Onchocerca volvulus microfilaria
- Size: 300 x 7 μ.
- Non- sheathed.
- The anterior and posterior ends are devoid of nuclei.
- Not seen in the peripheral blood.
- Found in the skin and subcutaneous tissue near the adult.
Site of Onchocerca volvulus microfilaria
- Cut section of Onchocerca nodule shows C/S of adult female (filled with eggs or microfilaria) and adult male.
Life Cycle of O. volvulus
PPT
what are parasites that affect CNS?
What are free living amoeba?
- Naegleria fowleri
- Acanthamoeba castellani
what is another name for N.fowleri?
Brain-eating amoeba
Geographical distribution of N. fowleri
Cosmopolitan
Morphology of Ameboid form of N.fowleri
Habitat of ameboid form of N.fowleri
It inhabits CNS tissues and CSF
Morphology of falgellate form of N.fowleri
Habitat of flagellate form of N.fowleri
- Present in warm water.
- It not presents in tissues.
Morphology of cyst of N.fowleri
Habitat of cyst of N.fowleri
- It presents only in soil.
Habitat of N.fowleri
- Soil and warm fresh water.
- In man it attacks the CNS.
Infective stage of N.fowleri
Amoeboid trophozoite.
Mode of infection by N.fowleri
Through the nasal route.
1. Swimming or sniffing in contaminated water.
2. Inhalation of contaminated air.
Pathway of N.fowleri after infecting someone
- Amoeboid trophozoites in contaminated water enter the nose, migrate through nasal mucosa → olfactory nerve → olfactory pulp → base of the brain → disseminate to the brain tissue.
Method of N.fowleri ameboid trophozite feeding and division
simple binary fission.
what does N.fowleri trophozite change into in soil?
transforms into cyst stage
Pathogenesis of N.fowleri
- Naegleria fowleri causes primary amoebic meningo-encephalitis (PAM).
- Amoeboid trophozoite is neurotropic, feeds on nerve tissue resulting in necrosis –> acute meningoencephalitis.
- In subarachinoid space: inflammatory cells (Neutrophils)
- In grey matter: Hemorrhage, necrosis & amoebae
- In white matter of the brain: demyelination (Due to phospholytic enzyme produced by amoeba)
Course of PAM caused by N.fowleri
The clinical course of PAM is dramatic, death usually occurs within a week.
Clinical picture of N.fowleri
Stage I: Nausea, vomiting, severe frontal headache, fever, blocked nose with alteration of smell or taste.
Stage II: Signs of meningeal irritation as stiffness of neck (Kernig’s sign), photophobia, seizures, altered mental status, and coma.
Diagnosis of N.fowleri
- Clinical diagnosis
- Laboratory diagnosis
Clinical diagnosis of N.fowleri
C/P with History of swimming or diving in lakes or ponds 2-6 days prior to onset.
Laboratory diagnosis of N.fowleri
- Microscopic examination
- Culture: non-nutrient agar with Escherichia coli.
- Molecular diagnosis
- Mice inoculation
microscopic examination of N.fowleri
- Wet mounts of CSF revealing trophozoites.
- CSF is purulent but with no bacteria, raised cell count of neutrophils (leucocytosis), elevated protein (> 1gm / L) and low glucose (< 5gm / L).
Treatment of N.fowleri
- Patient must be hospitalized: I.V. Amphotericin-B, Fluconazole and Rifampicin.
Prevention and control of N.fowleri
- Adequate chlorination of water of swimming pools and public water supplies.
- Avoid immersing the head in water during swimming.
Geographical distribution of A. Castellani
Worldwide
Morphology of A. Castellani
- Trophozite
- Cyst
Morphology of A. Castellani trophozoite