Protozoa and Disease Flashcards
What parasite causes malaria?
Plasmodium species cause malaria via bite of the female Anopheles mosquito
What are the 5 species of Plasmodium?
-P.falciparum
-P.vivax
-P.ovale
-P.malariae
-P.knowlesi
What is the most deadly kind of Plasmodium
P.falciparum
What is the most common kind of Plasmodium?
P.vivax
Malaria Transmission Cycle
- Infection - sporozoites enter human
- Merozoites form in liver cells (hepatocytes) and lyse hepatocytes
- Merozoites released
- Red blood cells get infected
- Asexual reproduction - ring form in RBCs
- Trophozoites form in RBCs
- Trophozoites multiply to make schizont which lyses RBCs
Where are merozoites formed?
In the liver
What shape can be seen when looking at a plasmodium infected cell under the micropscope?
Headphone - shaped trophozoite
Malaria Symptoms
Anaemia, splenomegaly, fever, nausea, vomiting, rigors, headache, coma
Which plasmodium species causes cerebral malaria?
P.faliciparum
What is the life cycle of i) P.malariae and ii)P.ovale and P.vivax
i) 72h cycle
ii) 48h cycle
What makes you attractive to mosquitoes?
-Body Odor- certain products present in our breath, skin, sweat attract mosquitoes
-Skin bacteria- high diversity of microbes on skin may be LESS attractive to mosquitoes
-Pregnancy- more attractive due to body temp increase
What is Chagas disease and what protozoa is it caused by?
Causes tissue distructure
Caused by trypanosoma cruzi - which is carried by a reduviid/kissing/vampire bug
What is Babesiosis and what protozoa is it caused by?
Protozoa infects RBCs causing fever and haemolytic anaemia
Caused by Babesia microti - transmitted by deer tick
What can be seen when looking at babesia microti infected cells under the microscope?
Maltese cross as the protozoa replicates into a cross and then splits
Where are infections from the Cryptosporidium spp. picked up from?
Water that hasn’t been cleaned properly
-UV kills them as destroys DNA
-Parasites reproduce in host small intestine
