Pathogenic Protozoa Flashcards
Describe the transmission, symptoms and treatments for: Giardia Lambdia
Tsm: unfiltered water, fecal/oral spread;
Cx: Backpacker’s Diarrhea;
Tx: Metronidazole
Define the diagnostic tools to detect Giardia in stool of infected patients?
ELISA stool antigen, IFA or Iodine staining
Describe the transmission, symptoms and treatments for: Entameoba histolytica
Tsm: fecal/oral spread by water/food;
Cx: Amoebic Dysentery; “anchovy paste abscesses” (no need to drain them)
Tx: Metronidazole, Paramycin, Chloroquine
Describe the diagnostic features someone might find in abscesses of someone infected with Entamoeba?
Ingested RBCs within trophozoites under a microscope; ELISA stool antigen or serology for ABs against infection
Describe the transmission, symptoms and treatments for: Toxoplasma gondii
Tsm: oocytes shed in cat feces, transplacentally to fetus;
Cx: Severe neurological and ocular disease in fetus;
Tx: Sulfadiazine, Pyrimethamine
An HIV patient presents with chronic watery diarrhea. Specialized microscopy of his stool revealed acid-fast cysts. What parasite is he suspected to be infected with?
Cryptosporidium, treated with Nitazoxinide
Briefly describe a key feature of each of the subspecies of Trypanosoma brucei.
- T. b brucei = disease in livestock, recurrent fevers;
- T. b. rhodesiense = East African RAPID-progressing disease;
- T. b. gambesiense = West African slowly-progressing disease
Describe the transmission, symptoms and treatments for: Trypansoma brucei
Tsm: tsetse fly;
Cx: Cervical and Axillary lymphadenopathy, recurrent fevers;
Dx: Trypomastigotes in blood smear;
Tx: Melarsoprol (CNS infection), Suramin (peripheral blood infection)
What key feature about Trypanosoma brucei enables it to escape the immune system to cause chronic infection?
Variable surface glycoprotein coats (VSGs) that undergo constant antigenic variation.
What are the 2 treatments recommended for African Sleeping Sickness?
Treatments for Trypanosoma brucei include:
- Suramin - peripheral “serum” blood infection
- Melarsoprol - CNS infection
Describe the transmission, symptoms and treatments for: Trypanosoma cruzii “Chagas Disease”
Tsm: scratched feces of Kissing bug;
Cx: Megacolon, Dilated cardiomyopathy;
Dx: Blood smear, serology, muscle biopsy, PCR;
Tx: Benznidazole, Nifurtimox
What are the 2 treatments recommended for Chagas Disease?
Treatments for Trypanosoma cruzii include:
- Benznidazole - nitroimidazole derivative;
- Nifurtimox - increase oxidative stress
What are the symptoms of Chagas Disease? What of the diagnostic features?
- Megacolon, Mega-esophagus, Dilated Cardiomyopathy
2. Intracellular amastigotes in heart muscle
Describe the transmission, symptoms, diagnostics and treatments for: Leishmaniasis
Tsm: Female sandfly;
Cx: Cutaneous, visceral or mucosal symptoms, hepatosplenomegaly;
Dx: Leishman-Donovan bodies (amastigotes in tissue);
Tx: Miltefosine, Amphotericin B
Describe the transmission, symptoms, diagnostics and treatments for: Naegleria
Tsm: freshwater exposure, sinuses to brain via olfactory nerves;
Cx: SEVERE keratitis, FATAL amoebic meningoencephalitis;
Dx: trophozoites in CSF, brain biopsy, immunoflourescence;
Tx: Amphoterecin