Parasitology Vocabulary Flashcards
Symbiosis
Two different types of organisms living together
Mutualism
2 organisms of different species live in a relationship where both benefit
Commensalism
relationship where 1 organism benefits and the other does not, but is not harmed
Parasitism
a relationship in which 1 organism lives off another (host) and causes harm to the host
Host
any organism that supports another organism
Definitive Host
Kingdom Protista – the host in which the parasite undergoes sexual reproduction; Kingdom Animalia – the host in which the adult worm is found
Intermediate Host
Kingdom Protista – the host in which the parasite undergoes asexual reproduction; Kingdom Animalia – the host in which the juvenile form of the worm is found
Reservoir Host
infected organism (usually an animal) which makes the parasite available for transmission to other hosts
Ectoparasite
a parasite that lives on the outer surface of the host; ticks, lice, fleas
Endoparasite
a parasite that lives inside the host; tapeworm, Giardia, Plasmodium
Biological Vector
an organism in which the parasite undergoes part of its lifecycle and then transmits the parasite to another organism; female Anopheles mosquito
Mechanical Vector
an organism that transmits a parasite, but is not part of the parasites life cycle; flies, roaches, rodents
Monoecious
animal that has both male and female reproductive organs (hermaphrodite)
Dioecious
animal that has only male or female reproductive organs
Cyst
spore like stage of protozoa; thick wall - resistant to unfavorable environment
Trophozoite
active, motile, feeding stage of protozoa
Oocyst
cyst form in genus Plasmodium and Toxoplama
Cercaria
free swimming larval stage of trematodes (flukes)
Metacercaria
encysted stage of flukes
Platyhelminthes
flat worms, such as trematodes (flukes) and cestodes (tapeworms)
Nematodes
round worms, such as Ascaris and Enterobius, and hookworms
