Protozoa Flashcards
1
Q
What is a Protozoa
A
A single cell eukaryotic organism
2
Q
In terms of replication in a host how to Protozoa and worms differ
A
Protozoa can create tens of millions of oocysts just from ingesting one oocyst and in worms one ingested egg just becomes one worm
3
Q
What Protozoa are flagellates
A
Giardia, tritrichomonas, trichomonas
4
Q
How is giardia transmitted
A
Fecal-oral, in contaminated food or water that has cysts on or in it
5
Q
How long is Giardia’s prepatent period
A
5-7 days
6
Q
What type of life cycle does Giardia have
A
Direct
7
Q
Can Giardia cysts survive in the environment and what does that mean clinically
A
No they can’t so when they are passed in the feces they are directly infective
8
Q
What Protozoa has a trophozoite that is pear shaped/ sucking disk shape, with 2 nuclei and 2 axostyles, and 8 flagella
A
Giardia
9
Q
Is Giardia zoonotic
A
Technically (potentially) yes but most genotypes (assemblages) are host specific so most human infections are not zoonotically acquired
10
Q
How does Giardia cause clinical disease
A
The trophozoites adhere to the intestinal villi in the duodenum and disrupt them, shorten the microvilli, and cause enterocyte apoptosis–> malabsorption and mucoid diarrhea
11
Q
Which is more common with Giardia, acute disease with deadly diarrhea or chronic disease with intermittent diarrhea
A
Chronic disease with intermittent diarrhea, especially in young animals
11
Q
Which is more common with Giardia, acute disease with deadly diarrhea or chronic disease with intermittent diarrhea
A
Chronic disease with intermittent diarrhea, especially in young animals
12
Q
What are the two best ways to diagnose Giardia
A
Zinc sulfate centrifugation to look for cysts or Fecal ELISA test
13
Q
How do you treat for Giardia?
A
fenbendazole
14
Q
What has a single nucleus and axostyle but has 3-5 flagella with one on the posterior end that looks like an undulating membrane
A
trichomonads
14
Q
What has a single nucleus and axostyle but has 3-5 flagella with one on the posterior end that looks like an undulating membrane
A
trichomonads
15
Q
What Protozoa lives in the genital tract of cattle
A
tritrichomonas foetus
16
Q
What type of life cycle does tritrichomonas foetus have
A
direct
17
Q
What does tritrichomonas do in cows and bulls?
A
it doesn’t cause any clinical disease in bulls and in cows it just causes abortions or pyometras as a result of the embryo dying and not being aborted
18
Q
Will a cow positive with tritrichomonas ever be able to have a baby again
A
yes, she must go through 1 to 3 heat cycles and then she will be fertile again
19
Q
What Protozoa May be found in a vaginal/prepuce wash
A
Tritrichomonas foetus
20
Q
What must a cow have to be considered negative for tritrichomonas foetus
A
3 negative tests, 2 normal estrus cycles, or (bulls) be successfully bred to a virgin and she have a calf
21
Q
Is there treatment for T.foetus
A
No just to do a breeding rest or use AI in the future and eliminate positive bulls
22
Q
A cattery is having a problem of their cats having chronic diarrhea, what may be the cause
A
Tritrichomonas blagburni
23
What tritrichomonas is in dogs
Pentatrichomonas hominis
24
How many nuclei do ciliates have
2- a macro for vegetative function and a micro for reproduction
25
What is the replicative form and infective form of Balantidium coli and how do they replicate
Trophozoite is replicative, cyst is infective, and via binary fission
26
What is the biggest Protozoa
Balantidium coli
27
What is the host of Balantidium coli and is it zoonotic
Pigs and yes
28
What does an infection of Balantidium coli look like
Diarrhea because it invades intestinal mucosa (ciliates in it), but an animal can have large numbers of organisms with no clinical signs
29
How do you detect and prevent Balantidium coli
Direct fecal smear, float, or histology and try to prevent fecal contamination of water and practice good hygiene
30
Which Protozoa infects the skin, gills, and cornea of fish
Ichthyophthirius multifiliis
31
Which stage of Ichthyophthirius multifiliis is in the fish and which stage is released in the water
Trophont is attached to the skin of the fish and theront is in the water
32
What are treatments for ich and what stage of the Protozoa are they affective against
Increased salinity or temperature, chemical added to water, all work on theront
33
You go to a farm and find lots of ciliates in the feces of their horses and cattle. Are you going to treat these animals?
Not necessarily because it is normal to have commensal ciliates in the rumen and cecum in cattle and horses
34
Where is babesia found in a host and what hosts does it infect
In the erythrocytes of dogs especially and also horses, cattle, cats, and wildlife
35
How is babesia transmitted
Ticks mainly in the southeast but also blood transfusions, contaminated surgical instruments or needles, and maybe dog to dog directly (fighting)
36
What are signs of babesia
Hemolytic Anemia, fever, dark urine, depression, splenomegaly, and anorexia
37
Which stage of Babesia infects the red blood cell and is coming from the flea saliva
Sporozoites
38
Which stage of babesia is the growing stage and what is it called when they divide/what do they divide into
They grow as trophozoites and divide by merogony into merozoites
39
What groups of dogs have lots of Babesia
Greyhounds in Florida and fighting pit bulls
40
How do you diagnose Babesia
Via stained blood films, serology, or PCR
41
How do you treat Babesia
Azithromycin, Atovaquone and supportive care but it is unlikely you will completely eliminate the parasites so may need a blood donation
42
What is the best prevention of Babesia
In dogs isoxazolines (tick meds ex. Nexgard, bravecto) and in cattle acaricide washes
43
What are the two canine Babesia species
B. gibsoni (in SE not in FL) and B. canis vogeli which is most common in FL
44
What is the Babesia of cattle
B. bigemina
45
What causes equine piroplasmosis
Babesia caballi and Theileria equi
46
Can humans get Babesia from any “vet species”
No but it is zoonotic primary from rodent reservoir hosts
47
What Protozoa is found in cat macrophages and RBCs and has a tick vector
Cytauxzoon felis
48
Which state of Cytauxzoon felis is in macrophages and which in RBCs
The tissue stage is in macrophages and the prioplasms are in RBCs
49
What is the definitive/reservoir host for Cytauxzoon felis
North American bobcat, causes mild disease
50
Which tick transmits Cytauxzoon felis
The lonestar tick (Amblyomma americanum)
51
What is the pathogenisis of Cytauxzoon felis in cats
The infected phagocytes line the veins and occlude them which results in anorexia, dyspnea, lethargy, dehydration, jaundice, fever, progressing to hypothermia and coma, rapidly occurs in 5-7 days and is often fatal. Those that survive are persistently infected
52
How do you diagnose Cytauxzoon felis
Look for piroplasms on a blood smear or do a bone marrow or lymph node aspirate looking for infected macrophages or PCR
53
What is the TOC for Cytauxzoon felis
Atovaquone/azithromycin
54
What hosts is T. cruzi found in
in dogs, humans, raccoons, opossums, and armadillos across the south
55
What T. cruzi stage is founding the reduvid bug
Epimastigote
56
What stage of T. cruzi is found in the blood in an acute disease phase
trypomastigotes
57
What is the replicating form of T. cruzi in macrophages, cardiac, and smooth muscle cells
Amastigotes
58
When is peak parasitemia for T. cruzi
2-3 weeks
59
Will you be able to detect T. cruzi after a month of infection
no it would be undetectable by that point
60
What does acute T. cruzi cause
lymphadenopathy, fever, malaise, lethargy, splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, acute myocarditis, sudden death
61
What happens with chronic T. cruzi infection
Progressive myocardial degeneration
62
How do you diagnose T. cruzi
You can see it on a blood smear in the acute phase or for chronic phase you do serology. Also can see it on histology post-mortem (nests of amastigotes)
63
What is the treatment for T. cruzi
No good treatments in the US (Benznidazole but not available in the US)
64
What trypanosoma is nonpathogenic in cattle
trypanosoma theileri
65
What cells are Leishmania found in
macrophages
66
How is leishmania transmitted
sandflies but possible vertically and horizontally as well
67
what does leishmania cause disease in
dogs and humans
68
What are the clinical signs of Leishmania in dogs
cutaneous skin lesions, or visceral disease with chronic wasting, kidney failure, and generalized loss of body hair. Often asymptomatic infections are common and it may take months or years for dogs to show signs
69
How is Leishmania diagnosed
clinical signs and antibody assay like IFA or immunoassay. PCR. May also see amastigotes in smears from samples from bone marrow, lymph nodes, or affected skin.
70
What is the treatment for Leishmania
Allopurinol but you can't achieve a sterile cure, you can only achieve clinical remission
71
What is the infective stage of coccidia
oocyte
72
In a coccidia lifecycle what is the stage that infects cells, what is the replication stage, what is the sexual cycle, and what is the result
The sporozoite infects the host cells and then undergoes merogony to form merozoites, they infect new cells and initiate gametogeny (the sexual cycle)--> the micro/macrogametes undergo sexual reproduction to form the zygote which matures into the sporogony which forms oocysts
73
How many coccidia oocysts can come from just one ingested oocyst and why is that concerning
23,040,000 oocysts, very concerning because one animal can quickly contaminate an environment
74
What does the oocyst contain
sporozoites that are contained within sporocysts
75
What are the Eimeria (coccidia) of cattle
Eimeria bovis and Eimeria zuernii
76
What is the Eimeria life cycle location wise in a host
The oocysts are passed unsporulated and undergo asexual development in the small intestine and then in the cecum and colon. It has sexual stages in the cecum and colon
77
What is the pre-patent period for Eimeria in cattle and will you see disease before then
14-21 days, and yes you will see clinical disease before the end of the pre-patent period (when they begin passing oocysts/detectable)
78
When do you typically see disease in cattle from Eimeria
usually when there is a high infectious dose and you will see disease usually when the animal is stressed (overcrowding, unsanitary conditions, shipping, weaning, dietary changes)
79
What does acute disease from Eimeria look like in cattle and who is usually infected
Bloody diarrhea, loss of appetite, fever, susceptible to secondary infections usually in cattle under a year. Sometimes can cause neurological signs (nervous coccidiosis or bovine winter coccidiosis)
80
What does chronic Eimeria look like
poor preformance, reduced feed intake, unthrifty appearance, soiled rear, poor hair coats
81
What Eimeria has the largest oocysts, and how many sporocysts and sporozoites
Bovis, has 4 sporocysts each with 2 sporozoites (just like other Eimeria)
82
Why is Eimeria important in sheep and goats, what does it cause
it is economically important because it adds 3-4 weeks of feeding to get animals to the right weight and it causes watery diarrhea, dehydration, anemia, and rectal prolapse from straining
83
What are some treatments for Eimeria
Lasalocid, decoquinate, monensin, amprolium (ELU in sheep and goats)
84
Do horses get sick from Eimeria
No, most infections are silent
85
What is distinct about the diagnosis of Eimeria in horses
they have large dark oocysts and they have globidia (macrogamonts) that are found in the small intestine
86
What is the Eimeria of Camelids and what can it cause and where in the body are the macrogamonts
Eimeria Macusaniensis, it can range from subclinical shedding to severe enteropathy and death, you will find the macrogamonts in the small intestine
87
Is Eimeria in chickens serious?
It can be! there can be very severe outbreaks because it has a very short direct lifecycle
88
What are the clinical signs of Eimeria in chickens
Ruffled feathers, depressed, may have bloody diarrhea, loss in egg production, and can have mortality within hours of first signs
89
How do you diagnose Eimeria in chickens
look for the oocysts in the mucosal surface of the ceca
90
What Eimeria in chickens is the most pathogenic and what can it cause
Eimeria tenella and it causes bloody feces and rapid death, will see a ceca dilated with blood
91
Is there a vaccine for Eimeria in chickens
yes but the development of immunity is dependent on reinfection and it is really only useful in chickens that live longer or are grown longer
92
What are two programs used in chickens to decrease drug resistance with Eimeria
Shuttle- change in drug in the grow-out period
Rotation complete change of drugs
93
What is a common zoonotic coccidia that is a major problem and expense in the diary industry and is zoonotic
cryptosporidium
94
How are cryptosporidium oocysts passed and what is unique about the oocysts
passed sporulated and the oocysts are very thin walled and they can cause an auto-reinfection within the animal
95
What are the clinical signs of cryptosporidium in cattle
typically in 5-15 day old calves, yellow to white putty-like feces with profuse diarrhea, depression, anorexia, abdominal pain
96
What is the pre-patent period of cryptosporidium
3-12 days
97
How do you diagnose crypto
flotation with sugar but oocysts are very small, can use a special stain or IFA or ELISA. You can also see the oocysts with a histopath from necropsy
98
Many genotypes of protozoa are species limited? How about the crypto of cattle and its ability to spread to humans
Humans can be infected with C. parvum from cattle but we also have our own specific species C. hominis
99
what is the treatment for cryptosporidium
there isn't one, just try to reduce stress and practice good sanitation (but disinfectants aren't effective against crypto oocysts)
100
How is a Isosporoid oocyst different than Eimeriid
When they are fully sporulated the Isosporoid has 2 sporocysts each with 4 sporozoites while the Eimeriid has 4 sporocysts each with 2 sporozoites
101
What is a common cause of piglet diarrhea and is ubiquitous in confined farrowing environments
Isospora suis
102
What is the type of life cycle of Isospora suis, and the pre-patent period, and how long is it patent for. Are the oocysts directly infective?
it has a simple direct life cycle, PPP of 5-7 days and is patent for 1.5-3 weeks. Once shed the oocysts only take a day to sporulate in warm temperatures, but no they are not directly infective when they are shed in the feces
103
where do the sporozoites of Isospora suis invade
the jejunal and ileal enterocytes
104
What are the clinical signs of Isospora suis
Nursing pigs often affected with nonhemorrhagic diarrhea that is unresponsive to antibiotics, piglets become dehydrated and fail to gain weight
105
How do you prevent Isospora suis
Clean the crates before farrowing (can kill oocysts with steam) and you can give Toltrazuril for prevention in piglets
106
What are the signs of cryptosporidium in pigs
usually asymptomatic but can have nonhemorrhagic diarrhea and unthriftiness
107
How does a cat get Cystoisospora
it ingests the oocyst either directly from environment or the monozoic cysts in the tissues of an infected prey animal (like a mouse) OR the cat can be reinfected from itself from extra intestinal cysts
108
How do you diagnose Cystoisospora in a cat
Flotation, and they will sporulate quickly (but are passed unsporulated
109
What way of infection has the shortest PPP in cystoisospora cysts
Ingestion of the tissue cyst
110
Does age help with cystoisospora immunity
yes
111
Does cystoisospora cause disease in the intermediate/paratenic hosts and are those hosts obligatory
no, only in the definite host (ex. cat or dog), and no the route of infection is primarily fecal/oral
112
What is the PPP of cystoisospora when ingested fecal-oral route and what is the patent period
7-10 days and 1-3 weeks
113
What are the large oocysts of cystoisospora in dogs
Isospora canis
114
What cystoisospora are referred to as the ohioensis complex
Isospora ohioensis, I. neorivolta, I. burrowsi
115
Do dogs get good immunity after cystoisospora infection
yes, they have good immunity to shedding the oocysts
116
What does clinical cystoisospora in dogs look like
common in young animals however can be in stressed adults/immunosuppressed, diarrhea that is mucoid or bloody, dehydration, anemia, anorexia, vomiting, abdominal pain
117
What are the cystoisospora in cats and do they get good immunity after infection
Isospera felis (large oocyte) and Isospera rivolta (small oocyte) and they do not get complete immunity and they can reshed oocysts if they are challenged/stressed
118
What is the treatment for cystoisospora
in dogs only sulfadimethoxine is approved or ELU of ponazuril, diclazuril, and toltrazuril, there is no approved drug in cats
119
What is the definitive and intermediate host of Toxoplasma gondii
Felids are the definitive host and any vertebrate is the intermediate host
120
How can hosts be infected with toxoplasmosis
ingestion of oocysts or tissue cysts or transplacental transmission
121
What form causes clinical toxoplasmosis (acute infection), is this form also responsible for transplacental transmission?
the tachyzoite and yes it is
122
what produces toxoplasmosis oocysts
cats only
123
What toxoplasmosis form is the slow growing/ tissue cyst form
the bradyzoite
124
What do bradyzoites do in intermediate hosts
They will invade enterocytes, transform to tachyzoites, and initiate the extra-intestinal cycle
125
What do bradyzoites do in cats
They invade enterocytes and begin first round of merogony
126
In cats what is the difference in life cycle when they ingest toxoplasma tissue cysts vs. oocysts
With tissue cysts they undergo the enteroepithelial cycle and become oocysts (standard coccidia replication in intestine)
Ingesting oocysts they being the extra-intestinal cycle--> develop into tachyzoites then into bradyzoites then tissue cysts or back into tachyzoites and initiate the enteroepithelial cycle to form oocysts
127
After ingesting the tissue cysts how long is the PPP and the patency in cats
PPP 4-10 days and patentcy 1-3 weeks
128
Will being reinfected with Toxoplasma affect the shedding of a cat
they will shed fewer oocysts upon reinfection
129
What causes clinical toxoplasmosis in cats
the extraintestinal cycle (ingested oocyst) and disease is from the tachyzoites replicating and transforming to bradyzoites and forming tissue cysts--> common to find cysts in pulmonary, cardiac, hepatic, and ocular tissues
130
What are the clinical signs of toxoplasmosis in a cat
fever, dyspnea, icterus, ocular lesions common
131
Are you likely to see toxoplasma oocysts on a fecal
No because there is a very short patent period
132
You do antibody titers for toxoplasmosis on 2 cats, one has high IgG and one had high IgM. What do these results tell you
The cat with IgG was infected with toxoplasma in the past and the cat with high IgM has a recent infection of toxoplasma
133
Is there an approved treatment for toxoplasmosis
No
134
What are the best ways to prevent toxoplasmosis in a cat
keep them inside, don't allow them to hunt/scavenge, don't feed them raw/rare meats
135
Name 4 ways humans get toxoplasmosis (not from cats)
From undercooked/raw meat (ingestion of tissue cysts), especially pork, from unwashed fruits or vegetables (ingestion of oocysts), from the soil (ex. gardening) (ingestion of oocysts), transplacentally/transfusion/transplant
136
What does toxoplasmosis cause in sheep
abortions, stillborns or weak lambs, only if infected for the first time during pregnancy, and if lambs survive they will be born uninfected
137
What are clinical signs of toxoplasmosis in dogs
mostly in dogs under a year of age, fever, dyspnea, diarrhea, vomiting, ocular involvement less common. Can also see neurologic signs like asymmetrical hindlimb paresis in older dogs
138
Should zoos be concerned about toxoplasmosis in their monkeys
Definitely! Can be a very deadly disease
139
What does toxoplasmosis cause when a fetus is infected early in pregnancy
Retinochoroiditis, intracranial calcifications, hydrocephalus
140
What does toxoplasmosis cause when a fetus is infected late in pregnancy
eye deficiencies (retinochortitis, blindness, visual impairment), deafness
141
If a woman is already seropositive for toxoplasma and gets pregnant is her baby at risk?
Nope! In fact that provides immunity and prevents transplacental transmission
142
What can toxoplasmosis do in an immunocompromised person
cause encephalitis and disseminated toxoplasmosis
143
What is unique about Sarcocystis life cycles
They have an obligate two host life cycle
144
What is the definitive host for Sarcocystis
Canids
145
Who sheds the Sarcocystis oocysts
The definitive host (must be carnivore or omnivore)
146
Where are Sarcocystis tissue cysts found and who are they infective to
Tissue cysts only found in Intermediate host and are infective to the definitive hosts
147
What is the PPP of Sarcocystis
7-14 days in definitive host
148
Fill in the blank- this is in terms of sarcocystis
_______ are tissue cysts that are filled with _____, which are _______ for the definitive host
Sarcocysts are tissue cysts that are filled with bradyzoites which are infective for the definitive host
149
How many dog and cats shed sarcocystis oocysts and how many swine, cattle, and sheep are infected
Only about 5% dogs and cats shed oocysts and over 50% of cattle, swine, and sheep
150
Is there any pathogenesis in the definitive host of sarcocysts
No
151
There are some cases for the Intermediate hosts where Sarcocystis can be clinically severe. What are these species
S. cruzi in cattle, S. tenella in sheep, and S. neurona in horses (aberrant host)
152
What are the clinical signs of Sarcocystis in cattle
Anorexia, fever, anemia, lethargy
153
Prevention of Sarcocystis
Don’t feed raw never frozen meat to dogs and prevent contamination of pastures and feedstuffs
154
Equine Protozoal myeloencephalitis only causes clinical disease in how many horses
0.5-1% of horses but there is over 50% seroprevalence in some areas
155
What is the causative agent of EPM
Sarcocystis neurona
156
What is the definitive host of Sarcocystis neurona and are they the only animals to pass the oocysts
Virginia opossum and yes
157
What are the intermediate hosts and aberrant host of Sarcocystis neurona
Armadillo, raccoon, skunk, and the dead-end/aberrant host is a horse
158
What are the only stages of Sarcocystis neurons in a horse
the meronts and merozoites in the CNS, no cyst stages evident in tissue
159
What are clinical signs of EPM/ sarcocystis neurona
focal or multifocal signs of neurological disease- dyspnea, abnormal airway function, lameness (often in hindlimbs), seizures. You will always see a progression and the most common early sign is a training problem
160
What is the pathology of EPM
multifocal lesions in the CNS, especially in the spinal cord
161
How do you diagnose EPM
antibody tests, a PCR test is not definitive (poor sensitivity- you can trust a positive though)
162
Can you believe a negative antibody test for EPM
not always, if the case is acute it may be too early to see antibodies
163
What is the basis for treating EPM and what do you treat with
Often do presumptive treatment if a horse is showing clinical signs, so diagnosis by treatment, you treat with Ponazuril, Diclazuril
Early diagnosis and treatment is the key to recovery!
164
How do you prevent EPM
reduce access of opossums to horse feed, clean up spilled grain, keep it covered
165
What is the definitive host of Neospora caninum and the intermediate host
dogs- DH and cattle- IH
166
How is neospora caninum transmitted
vertically in both cattle and dogs
167
what does neospora caninum cause in cattle (especially dairy cattle)
abortions
168
What passes Neospora caninum oocysts
dogs
169
what animal(s) will form tissue cysts of Neospora caninum
the IH and the DH so dogs and cattle (and sheep, goats, horses, deer, and wild canids)
170
What are clinical signs of Neosporosis in dogs
progressive ascending paralysis, most severe in pups infected in utero
171
How do you treat Neospora caninum in dogs
Need to treat early with Pyrimethamine, sulfonamides, and clindamycin
172
What happens if a seropositive cow for neospora caninum keeps having babies
In the subsequent pregnancies she is less likely to abort but the calves will be born infected via vertical transmission
173
What disease causes abortion storms or sporadic to clustered abortions in Dairy farms
Neospora caninum
