Parasitology Flashcards
Giardia lamblia
Protozoa
Transmitted as cysts in water
Causes giardiasis: bloating, flatulence, foul-smelling, fatty diarrhea
Diagnose w/ trophozoites (growing stage of protozoa) or cysts in stool
Treat w/ metronidazole
Entamobea histolytica
Protozoa
Transmitted as cysts in water
Causes amebiasis: bloody diarrhea (dysentery), liver abscess
Diagnose w/ trophozoites (with RBC in cytoplasm) or cysts in stool
Treat w/ metronidazole
Cryptosporidium
Protozoa
Transmitted as oocysts in water
Causes severe diarrhea in AIDS, mild in immunocompetent
Diagnose w/ oocysts on acid fast stain
Treat w/ nitazoxanide
Toxoplasma gondii
Protozoa
Transmitted as cysts in meat or oocysts in cat feces, can cross placenta
Causes brain abscess in HIV
Congenital: chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus, intracranial calcification
Diagnose w/ serology
Treat w/ sulfadiazine + pyrimethamine
Naegleria fowleri
Protozoa
Transmitted when swimming in fresh water lacks, enters via cribriform plate
Causes rapidly fatal meningoencephalitis
Diagnose w/ amoebas in spinal fluid
Treat w/ amphotericin B
Trypanosoma brucei
Protozoa
Transmitted via Tsetse fly (painful bite)
Causes African sleeping sickness (enlarged lymph nodes, recurring fever, somnolence, and coma
Diagnose w/ blood smear
Treat w/ suramin for blood and melarsoprol for CNS
Plasmodium malariae
Protozoa
Transmitted by mosquitos
Malaria: fever, headache, anemia, splenomegaly
Diagnose w/ blood smear showing trophozoite ring form w/ RBC within
Treat w/ chloroquine
Babesia
Protozoa
Transmitted by Ixodes tick
Causes Babesiosis: fever and hemolytic anemia, predominantly in northeastern Unites States, asplenia increases risk
Diagnose w/ blood smear showing ring form
Treat w/ atovaquone + azithromycin
Trypanosoma cruzi
Protozoa
Transmitted by reduviid bug (kissing bug) feces deposited in painless bites
Causes Chagas disease: dilated cardiomyopathy, megacolon, megaesophagus, predominantly in South America
Diagnosed w/ blood smear
Treat w. benznidazole
Leishmania donovani
Protozoa
Transmitted by sandfly
Causes visceral leishmaniasis: spiking fevers, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia
Diagnose w/ macrophages containing amastigotes (protist cell w/ flagella)
Treat w/ amphotericin B
Trichomas vaginalis
Protozoa
Transmitted sexually (cannot exist outside human as no cysts)
Causes vaginitis: foul-smelling, greenish discharge
Diagnose w/ trophozites on wet mount
Treat w/ metronidazole for pt and partner
Enterobius vermicularis
Roundworm/Nematodes (pinworm)
Transmitted fecal-oral
Causes intestinal infection and anal pruitis
Diagnose w/ Scotch Tape test
Treat w/ Bendazole
Ascaris lumbricoides
Roundworm (giant roundworm)
Transmitted fecal oral
Causes intestinal infection
Treat w/ bedazole
Strongyloides stercoralis
Roundworm
Transmitted via larvae in soil penetrating skin
Causes intestinal infection w/ vomiting, diarrhea, epigastric pain
Treat w/ albendazole
Ancylosomta, Necator
Roundworm (hookworm)
Transmitted w/ larvae penetrating skin
Causing intestinal infection w/ anemia as organism sucking blood from intestinal wall
Treat w/ bedazole
Onchocera volvulus
Roundworm
Transmitted by female blackfly bite
Causes hyper pigmented skin and river blindness
Treat w/ Ivermectin
Loa loa
Roundworm
Transmitted by deer fly, horse fly, or mango fly
Causes welling in skin, worm in conjunctiva
Treat w/ diethylcarbamazine
Wuchereria bancrofti
Roundworm
Transmitted by female mosquito
Causes blocks in lymphatic vessels
Treat w/ diethylcarbamazine
Toxocara canis
Roundworm
Transmitted fecal oral
Causes visceral larva migrans (multiple organs including liver and heart)
Treat w. albendazole
Taenia solium
Tapeworm
Transmitted via ingestion of larvae encysted in undercooked pork
Causes intestinal infection, treat w/ praziquantel
Can also be transmitted via ingestion of eggs, which cause cysticerocosis/neurocysticercosis, treat neurocysticercosis w/ albendazole
Diphylobothrium latum
Tapeworm
Transmitted by ingestion of larvae from raw freshwater fish
Causes vitamin B12 deficiency as tapeworm competes for B12 in intestine, leading to anemia
Treat w Praziquantel
Echinococcus granulosus
Tapeworm
Transmitted by ingestion of eggs from dog feces
Causes Hydatid cysts in liver, causing anaphylaxis if antigen released (surgeons pre inject w/ ethanol to kill cysts before removal)
Treat w/ albendazole
Schistosoma
Flukes
Transmitted by cercaria penetrating skin, snails are natural hosts
Causes liver and spleen granulomas, fibrosis and inflammation,
Chronic inflammation can lead to SCC of the bladder
Treat w praziquantel
Clonorchis sinensis
Flukes
Transmitted via undercooked fish
Causes biliary tract inflammation and pigmented gallstones
Associated w/ cholangiocarcinoma
Treat w/ praziquantel
