Protozoal gastroenteritis Flashcards
Acute gastroenteritis & Gardiasis disease are caused by which parasite ?
Giardia Lamblia
Describe the morphology of Giardia Lamblia
- a flagellate that lives in the duodenum and upper jejunum
- 2 forms :
- Trophozoite
- Cyst
Describe the morphology of trophozoite in Giardia Lamblia
- pyriform shaped (half pear) rounded anteriorly and pointed posteriorly
- measures 15 μm x 9 μm
- convex dorsally
- it’s motile, with slow oscillations about its long axis, resembling falling leaf
- Ventrally : has 2 concave sucking discs, which helps in its attachment to the intestinal mucosa
- It is bilaterally symmetrical and possesses:
1. 1 pair of nuclei
2. 4 pairs of flagellae
3. Blepharoplast, from which the flagella arise (4 pairs)
4. 1 pair of axostyles, running along the midline
5. 2 sausage shaped parabasal or median bodies, transversely posterior to sucking disc
Describe the morphology of cystic form in Giardia Lamblia
- infective form of the parasite
- small and oval
- measuring 12 μm x 8 μm
- surrounded by a hyaline cyst wall
- internal structure includes 2 pairs of nuclei grouped at one end
- axostyle lies diagonally, forming a dividing line within cyst wall
- Remnants of the flagella and the sucking disc may be seen in the young cyst
Mode of transmission in G.lambila.
- by ingestion of cysts in contaminated water and food
- Giardia passes its life cycle in one host (humans only)
- Children are commonly affected
Explain the life cycle of G. lamblia
- Within half an hour of ingestion :
* cyst hatches out into two trophozoites
* multiply successively by binary fission
* colonize in the duodenum and upper part of jejunum - Due to unfavorable conditions, encystment occurs usually in colon
- Cysts are passed in stool and remain viable in soil and water for several weeks
Pathogenicity of G. lamblia
- does not invade the tissue, but remains tightly adhered to intestinal epithelium by means of the sucking discs
- affects brush border epithelium of intestine leads to ——> deficiency of enzymes and interferes with intestinal absorption
- Variant-specific surface proteins (VSSPs) of Giardia play an important role in virulence and infectivity of the parasite
- Antigenic variation helps the parasite in evasion of host immune system
Clinical features of G.lambila
- Mostly asymptomatic
- in some cases, Giardia may lead to :
* mucus diarrhea
* fat malabsorption (steatorrhea)
* dull epigastric pain
* flatulence - stool is frothy and contains excess mucus and fat but no blood
- Children may develop :
* chronic diarrhea
* malabsorption of (fat, vitamin A, vitamin B12, folic acid, proteins, sugars)
* weight loss - Chronic giardiasis : may be due to failure to develop immunoglobulin A (IgA) against specific Giardia antigen
What diagnosis is done for G.lambila ?
- Stool Examination:
- identification of cysts in the formed stools and the trophozoites and cysts in diarrheal stools
- macroscopic examination :
- fecal specimens have an offensive odor, are pale colored, fatty, and float in water
- microscopic examination:
- cysts and trophozoites can be found in diarrheal stools by saline and iodine wet preparations
- Often multiple specimens need to be examined.
- In asymptomatic carriers, only the cysts are seen
State the morphology of Trophozoites
- vegetative or growing stage of the parasite
- the only form present in tissues
- irregular in shape and varies in size from 12–60 μm ( average being 20 μm)
- actively motile in freshly-passed dysenteric stool
- Cytoplasm: Outer ectoplasm is clear, transparent, and refractile
- Inner endoplasm: is finely granular, having a ground glass appearance
- endoplasm : contains nucleus, food vacuoles, erythrocytes, occasionally leucocytes, and tissue debris
What is the disease caused by Entamoeba histolytica?
Ameobic dysentery
Describe Pseudopodia structure in Entamoeba histolytica
- finger-like projections formed by sudden jerky movements of ectoplasm in one direction
- followed by the streaming in of the whole endoplasm
- direction of movement may be changed suddenly, with another pseudopodium being formed at a different site
- formation and motility are inhibited at low temperatures
Describe the structure of Entamoeba histolytica nucleus
- has cartwheel appearance: central karoyosome
- surrounded by clear halo
- anchored to the nuclear membrane by fine radiating fibrils
Mention trophozoites of Entamoeba histolytica
- a diagnostic feature——> acute dysenteric stools often contain phagocytosed erythrocytes
- divide by binary fission in every 8 hours
- Infection is not transmitted by trophozoites 🛑
What is the fate of trophozoites?
- Trophozoites survive up to 5 hours at 37°C and are killed by drying, heat, and chemical sterilization
- They are rapidly destroyed in stomach and cannot initiate infection
Describe the cyst in Entamoeba histolytica
- spherical in shape
- about 10–20 μm in size
- early cyst:
- single nucleus
- a mass of glycogen
- 1–4 chromatoid bodies or chromidial bars
- Mature cyst :
- glycogen mass and chromidial bars disappear
- the nucleus undergoes 2 successive mitotic divisions ——> form 2 and then 4 nuclei
- quadrinucleate
- cyst wall :
- highly resistant to gastric juice and unfavorable environmental conditions
Explain the infective form life cycle of E. histolytica
- Mature quadrinucleate cyst passed in feces.
* The cysts can remain viable under moist conditions for about 10 days