Protozoa Flashcards
A. true coccidia
- cystiospora
- cryptosporidium
- toxoplasmosis
B. piroplasms
- babesia
- thelieria
C. Haemosporidia
- plasmodium
- haemoproteus
D. Ciliates
E. Flagellates/ Hemoflagellates
F. Amoeba
what mechanisms do apicomplexa use to move around?
- flagella - whip like
- pseudopodia - temporary extensions (false feet)
- cilia - hair-like extensions of cell membrane
- undulating - tiny undulating waves gliding motion
What is the infective form of an apicomplexa?
‘zoite” w/ apical complex (microtubules allow movement & rhoptries secreted)
What is the function of the apical complex (apicomplexa)?
- cytoskeltal & secretory funx
- central to cell penetration & invasion
-
parasitophorus vacuole
- communicates w host cell through secretions
- look for the halo
Apicomplexan life cycle?
unsporulated oocyst in environment in poo from DH - non infective
- sporogony - over 3-4d (asexual mitotic)
Sporulated oocyst w sporocysts & sporozoites
- ingestion of sporozoites
Pentrate intestinal epithelium > asexual = merogony (multigeneration)
- merozoites w/parasitophorus vacuole = meront/schizont
- burst release merozoites into lumen & invade next cell
- exponential amplification
- merogony # determines pathogenicity > # gametes
-
gametogony = union of gamets
- macrogamete = female
- microgamete = male
- zygote > fertilzation intracellularly then excreted into lumen and pass in feces as an unsporulated oocyst
What is merogony starting stage > process > product?
Start
- zoite
Process
- asexual replication of merozoites -intracell
Product
- gamont/gamete
What is gametogony starting stage > process > product?
Starting
- gamete
Process
- macro& microgametes fuse to produce zygote - intracell
Product
- unsporulated oocyst
What is sporogony starting stage > process > product?
Start
- unsporulated oocyst
Process
- sporulation of the oocyst external environement or w/in the host lumen to the “infective unit” - extracell
Product
- sporulated oocyst (contain sporozoites)
What is the sporulated OOCYST morphology
A. Eimeria
B. (cyst)isopora
C. Sarcocystis
D. Cryptoporidium
What are examples of coccidia & what is the nature of their LC?
Direct LC & rapid
- eimeria - birds, ruminants, lagomorphs
- cystisospora - carnivores, omnivores, birds
- cryptosporidium - broad range
What are examples of cyst - forming coccidia & what is the nature of their LC?
Indirect LC - slow
- toxoplasma
- IH tissues- mammals (sheep, humans, cats) birds
- DH - intestine - felids
- neospora
- IH tissues - cattle, dog
- DH intestine - canids
- sarcocystis
- IH tissues- herb, omn
- DH intestine - carnivore
What are some examples of vector borne apicomplexa
mosquito
- plasmodium (malaria)
ticks
- piroplasms
- babesia
- theileria
Are emeria & cystisospora zoonotic?
no
the definitive host develops species specific immunity w. exposure or scours +/- dxa (mostly weaners- immunity, dose & virulence) - what eucoccidia is this and what are important husbandry risk factors?
Eimeria & Cystisospora
- overcrowding, stress, climate, poor hygiene, poor nutrition
Eimeria - DH? economic significance? clin signs?
DH
- birds, ruminants, lagomorphs
- HIGHLY host specific & site specific
Significance
- 90% subclin
- production loss, reduced growth rate
- increase in susceptibility to secondary infections - colibacilosis
Pathogenic -symptomatic
- watery hemorrhagic dxa, mortality
Eimeria LC
- direct- rapid
- PPP= 3-21d
- sporulation 1-3d (21-30* C humid optimal)
- vary in virulence
What are the main predisposing factors of coccidiosis in livestock?
Host
- susceptibility/age
- stress -weaning, change diet, shipping, crowding
- immune status
- exposure
Parasite
- number
- type
- dispersion
Environment
- conditions for sporulation (T, O2, humidity)
- mgmt
- hygiene
- feed & drinking hygiene
- climate
What are the 3 main anti-coccidial agents
Ionophore Antibiotics
- cell membranes (Na2 influx)
- static - extracellular stages only
- monensin
- chicken, cattle, sheep, goats, turkyes
- lasalocid
- sheep cattle & off label cats/dogs
- salinomycin - chickens
Toltrazuril
- affect plastid-like organelles
- cidal (all stages)
- long acting - single prophylaxis & multi trx
- long WHP for meat
- poultry, dogs, cattle, sheep, pigs
Sulfonamides
- cidal
- interfere w folate & DNA production
- birds, dogs, cats, pigs
Why would you use a coccidiostatic drug?
dont want to clear too quickly otherwise reduce future immunity
Can you treat layers with eimeria?
no bc of WHP - problem in non caged layers
What are the 4 main causes of coccidiosis in poutry?
- E. tenella (most path)
- E. necatrix
- E. maxima
- E. acervulina
What are the main symptoms and predilection sites of E. tenella, E. necatrix, E. maxima & E. acervulina
E. tenella (most path)
- ceca - bloody droppings & high mortality
E. necatrix
- upper SI - dropped weight & egg production
E. maxima
- lower SI - dxa
E. acervulina
- upper SI - drop in egg, chronic, +/- dxa
How can you diagnose coccidiosis due to Eimeria?
Post mortem
- gross observation -predilection & path
- sample
- mucosal smears/scraping + fixed gut sections for histo
- schizonts w merozoites
- gametes
- mucosal smears/scraping + fixed gut sections for histo
Ante mortem
- fecal float
- unsporulated oocyst
Feed Sample- check dosage of coccidiostats
How do you control coccidiosis in poultry?
Vaccine
- live & live attenuated vaccine (put into eye > nasolacrimal duct > swallowed)
- sporulated oocysts, species specific immunity, inoculate chick or hatchery
Hygiene
- resistant oocysts
- ammonia based disinfectant (bleach helps sporulation!)
- quaranitine
- on farm biosecurity
- too clean– immunity?
What causes hepatic coccidiosis in rabbits - merogony in bile duct epithelium >> jaundice & dxa w. mortality in weanlings? What are the necropsy findings?
Eimeria stiedai - focal white yellow nodules or cords in liver along bile ducts (cholangitis)
How does coccidiosis present in cattle? What are the species involved?
E. zuernii & E. bovis
- 1-2 mo <1 yr
- calf dxa/bloody scours
- 2* colibacillosis
- subclin - production loss
What can predispose calves to coccidiosis?
overcrowding, weaning to pasture/feedlots, stress/ low immunity
How can you prevent coccidiosis in calves?
- coccidiostats in milk replacer, feed (monensin, lasalocid) or single drench (toltazuril) before weaning
how does coccidiosis present in lambs? what are the species involved?
E. crandallis & E. ovinoidalis
- lambs 1-5 mo
What are the risk factors of coccidiosis in lambs? Prevention?
Risk
- lambing pens (ewe can infect neonate), weaning, introduction to feedlots
Prevent
- coccidiostats in feed
- late gestation in ewe (21d prior to lambing)
- prior to weaning lambs
E. ovinoidalis - small intestinal polyps & large intesinal mucosa w. meronts
How can you diagnose coccidiosis in sheep?
- necropsy
- incubate feces (3d)
- sporulation in 2% potassium dichromate soln
- mcmaster for oocyst counts & ID
Case study: You are called to a free-range poultry facility –Clinically approximately 35% of chickens have bloody faeces, ruffled feathers and pale mucous membranes History? Differentials? Diagnostic samples? Tests? Treatment? Prevention?
NEXT: perform necropsy- note distribution of lesion
- (if a pet then do a fecal float and check for eimeria oocysts)
Check feces regardless
- if you DO NOT find oocysts on fecal float —> you cannot rule out acute coccidiosis (no oocysts bc gametogony hasn’t occurred- only merogony)
Primary differential: eimeria tenella (Cecum) : not zoonotic but can get salmonella and campylobacter 2*
Confirm diagnosis : submit fixed intestinal sections for hstopath and non affected gut and perform fresh mucosal scrapings for cytology (may find zoites)
What is the life cyce of isospora (cystisospora)
unsporulated oocyst passed in feces >> sporulation 3-4d
- 2 sporocysts each w. 4 sporozoites
PH ingestion (rodent/livestock)
- tachyzoites (quick replication = inflam) >> bradyzoites (slow asexual rep = min inflam) in tissue (extra epithelial cells - brain, lung, muscle)
DH ingest PH or sporulated oocyst (dog, cat, pig, human) -FO
- intestinal epithelial cells
- asexual - merogony
- sexual - gametogony
PPP= 4-11d
What are the risk factors associated w cystisospora? immunity? Diagnosis?
Risk
- overcrowding
- dogs - breeders feed raw beef/lamb
- other risks - campy & slamonella
strong acquired immunity +/- dxa (not bloody)
diagnosis - oocyst 1:2:4
- rare to find in older dogs
- if you have bloody dxa look for other causes
- dont need to sporulate/ just treat
What are the species of cystisospora associated w. dog, cat, & pig?
dog
- C. canis
- C. ohioensis complex
cat
- C. felis
- C. rivolta
pig
- C. suis
How would you treat cystisospora in domestic animals? Prevention?
Treat
- supportive care
- sulphonamides for 1-2 wks
- toltazuril for 1-3d
Prevent
- mass treat all animals (bitch & queen incl)
- also bathe bitch before whelping & during lactation
- clean environment w/ ammonium based compounds
- prevent predation / feeding of raw meat
Case study: 10 day old confinement reared piglets suddenly developed scours and appear to have lost body condition, some vomiting milk…diagnostics below (stunted vili & nothing in fecal float) necropsy ok >> diagnosis? Control?
Coccidiosis
Control
- hygiene, biosecurity, all in all out system
- medicate sow feed w anticoccidial drugs (static?)
- piglets
- single dose = toltazuril (baycox) @ 3-5d
- long acting = sulphonamide inj @ 6do
What is the common host of the zoonotic cryptosporidium? What is the common zoonotic spp?
cattle - Cryptosporidium parvum
How would you describe the positioning of cryptoporidium? What types of tissue can you find it?
- epicellular position - intracellular but extracytoplasmic
- gastric or intestinal
- respiratory epithelium in poultry
What is the lifecycle of Cryptosporidium?
Direct - fecal oral route
- sporogony w/in host
- infective immediately
- hard to control in environment
- thick walled oocysts passed in feces
-
thin walled oocysts - autoinfection
- esp if immunocompromised
What is the pathogenesis of cypto infection
villous atrophy
- parasite destruction
- t cell apoptosis
epithelial mucosa release cytokines
- increased H20 & chloride
watery dxa & malabsorption
What is the significance of crypto infections?
- neonatal/post weaning dxa
- livestock, foals, pigs, pups, kittens
- poor colostrum intake
- immunocompromised
- zoonosis
- C.parvum - calves
- direct & waterborne - incl healthy humans
- C. hominus - human to human
- C. meleagridis, C. canis & C. felis
- direct
- young children or immunocompromised
- no cure!!
- C.parvum - calves
Apart from being zoonotic, what is the public health significance of cryptosporidiosis?
- major water born pathogen
-
oocysts resistant in chlorine (C. hominus most likely)
- sinking -
- spreader +
-
oocysts resistant in chlorine (C. hominus most likely)
- self limiting dxa (2-4 w in healthy)
- chronic life threatening dxa in HIV/AIDS
How does crypto present in calves?
- calves <4 wks have C. parvum
- high intensity of oocysts excretion
- Low infectious dose (5-10 oocysts)
How do you diagnose crypto?
- zinc or sucrose floats (SG 1.12- 1.18)
- oocysts small
- immunoflourescence - oocyst wall protein
- Zn smear, acid fast
- ELISA or immunochromatography
- PCR
how do you treat crypto?
no curative treatment
supportive care > fluids & electrolytes
hyper-immune bovine colostrum (cattle infected w. crypto)
halofuginone - reduce oocyst output
nitazoxanide (anti-protozoal) & paromomycin/azithromycin > humans
How do you control crypto infections?
- hygiene (heat . 70* C - steam, dry, ammonia)
- doesnt survive long in dry clean environment
- biosecurity/quarantine
- adequate colostrum
Toxoplasma gondii - LC in cats
DH - feline - intestinal merogony & gametogony (sexual development and oocyte formation)
- ingestion of sporulated oocysts in fresh or undercooked meat w/ viable zoites or transplacentally
- primary infection = naive kittens oocyst excretion (20 mill over 10-21d)
- long lived immunity
- oocysts not found on coat likely due to fecal burying & grooming behaviour
DH - feline extraintestinal
- zoites mulitply w.in tissue tachyzoites & bradyzoites in tissue of cat
Toxoplasma gondii - LC
DH : feline > excreted in feces > oocysts sporulated over 2-4d
PH : sheep, chickens, humans, rodents > ingest sporulated oocysts or infected meat or gardening
- zoites multiply in issue tachyzoites & bradyzoites in tissue
how is toxoplasma transmitted?
oral
- ingestion of oocysts
- resistant up to 18 mo - cool/ wet
- ingestion of tissue cysts
- raw, undercooked meat, unpasturised milk
vertical
- to kittens
- humans- only if infected for first time during pregnancy
When are cats immune to toxoplasma? When is there a high shed?
- intestinal phase
- kittens shed millions for 10-21d
- adult cats rarely shed - lower burdens
- long lasting immunity by premunition in all hosts
- due to extra-intestinal stages (tissue cysts)
- bradyzoites slowly replicate, may burst and get rise in Ab
- except immunocompromised (HIVAIDS, FIP, FeLV, FCoV)
- due to extra-intestinal stages (tissue cysts)
What is the pathogenesis of toxoplasma infeciton in the tissue stages?
- acute infection in naive host - primary exposure
- reactivate latent infection - immunocompromised
- tachyzoites multiply destroying tissue - multisystemic signs
What is the significance of a toxoplasma infection?
- abortion in ewes - economic
- abortion & congenital deformities in humans
- primary infection during gestation
- multisystemic disease in warm blooded mammals
- cats, marsupials, dogs, humans
What is the presentation of toxoplasmosis in cats?
intestinal - mild self limiting dxa (v young kitten)
extra intestinal
-
systemic disease- increased liver enzymes = jaundice
- CNS signs, hepatic necrosis, uveitis, interstitial pneumonia
- immunocompromised - kitten or underlying FIV, FeLV, FIP
- corticosteroirds, cyclosporin trx
- similar presentation in dogs
What is the public health significance of toxoplasmosis?
- majority asymptomatic - mild flu (bradyzoites in tissues)
- acute outbreak (high infectious dose)
- chorioretinitis - waterborne outbreak
- peeps camping drinking lake water - cougar poo
- chorioretinitis - waterborne outbreak
- HIV-AIDS/organ transplant patients
- 10-30% fatality from latent (90%) or newly acquired infection
- encephalitis, pneumonia, ocular dz
How does toxoplasma pose a risk to preg women?
- life long immunity once exposed
- protects against vert transplacental transmission
- unless immunocompromised
- clindamycin can prevent vert trans
- if infection first contracted during pregnancy - infection may be vertically transmitted to fetus
What is the likelihood of transmitting toxoplasma to fetus during 1st trimester? What is the out come? third trimester?
1st
- low 5-10%
- severe outcome - abort, neuro abnormalities (hydrocephalus)
3rd
- high 70-80%
- milk outcome - asymptomatic (95%), chorioretinitis
how can you diagnose toxoplasma infections?
-eggs are 10um rare to find in cat fecal float
T. gondii Ab titers (IgM or paired IgG)
detect tachyzoites
- cytology or PCR > CSF, aqueous humor, amniotic, peritoneal or pleural fluid
post mortem -histopath (tachyzoite will have inflam & necrosis)
CBC & Biochem
- change consistent w organ specific dz (hepatitis - incr liver enz)
Xray/ US
What drugs suppress tachyzoite replication (toxoplasma)
- Pyrimethamine
- Clindamycin
- Sulfonamides
- Azithromycin
- clin improvement in 24-48 h (unless organ necrosis)
how can you prevent toxoplasma infection?
- cook meat thoroughly
- wash/cook raw foods thoroughly
- cat
- dont allow to hunt (keep indoors)
- dont feed raw meat
- clean litter tray DAILY wearing gloves
- hygiene
- wash hands
- avoid gardening
- oocysts can survive for 1.5 yr in soil
- toxovax in maiden ewes - 6 wks prior to mating
- life long protection
- increases lambing %
What is the life cycle of neospora caninum
DH - dog
- intestinal: eating raw meat
- extraintestinal - tachy/bradyzoites in tissue
- placental transmission (breeders shouldnt feed raw meat)
- excretion - rare to find oocysts in poo
IH/PH - tachy/bradyzoites in tissue - cattle, sheep, poutry, rodents
- oocyts on pasture ingested
- abortion in cattle or calf born normally and continually passes oocytes
What is the significance of Neospora caninum infection in Cattle vs Dogs?
Cattle
- abortions - 5-7m
- congenitally abnormal calf
- asymptomatic carrier calf = persistently infected cattle
- may need replacement heifers
Dogs
- paralysis in pups - polyradiculoneuritis
- LMN proprioceptic deficits
- arthrogryposis - dorsal root nerves inflamed
- multisystemic in older immunocompromised in dogs
- can present like toxoplasmosis
- NOT zoonotic
What is the best course of action for congenital neosporosis?
- stop breeding - ovariohysterectomy
- test other pups in litter - treat if not showing clinical signs (progessive LMN once showing clin signs - decreased proprioception - rubs on tops of paws)
- could treat but if no improvement in 2-3d then euthanasia
How can you diagnose and treat neospora infections?
- Ab Titer
- fecal float unrewarding
- treat
- Clindamycin, pyrimethamine,
sulphonamides or combinations
- Clindamycin, pyrimethamine,
- prognosis
- early case: good
- mm contracture of hind limb - poor
Compare Toxoplasma gondii & Neospora caninum
What is the sarcocystis LC?
- MANY host specific species
- DH = canids, felids, humans
- gametogony & sporogony
- IH = herb, omn
- merogony - tissue cysts
- HIGHLY host specific
>> human eats undercooked meat containing mature sarcocysts > SI gamete> unsporulated oocyst> sporulated oocyst > sporocyst passed in feces > ingested by pig or cow > mature sarcocyst in mm
Significance of sarcocystis infection (cattle, acute infection, etc)
condemnation of carcases - sheep & cattle
- microscopic & macroscopic (granuloma)
Acute infection - merogony in vascular endothelial cells > vasculitis
- abortion & still birth in cattle
- (neospora & sarcocystis - abortion in cattle)
- (toxoplasma - abortion in sheep)
- multisystemic dz
- equine protozoal myeloencephalitis
What would infected DH fecal sample contain? What diagnostics do you perform? What are some differentials?
-naked sporocysts in feces = Sarcocystis
Diagnostics - histopath, PCR tissue
DDX
- hydatid
- taenia saginata
- calcified sarcocystis
What are some examples of coccidia-related vector borne agents? What type of life style do they have?
indirect LC
- babesia
- theileria
- plasmodium
What are the main LC differences bw babesia/theileria and plasmodium?
B/T
- IH= mammals
- DH= ticks
P
- IH= vertebrates (humans, birds)
- DH= mosquitoes