Specialisation

Question 1

Types of parasite adaptations

Answer 1

Morphological and biological

Question 2

Morphological adaptations

Answer 2

1. Development of attachment organs
2. Reduction of locomotive organs
3. Reduction/absence of non-useful organs
4. Biotope adaptations

Question 3

Development of attachment organs in enteroparasites?

Answer 3

Suckers, hooks, teeth

Question 4

Development of attachment organs in ectoparasites

Answer 4

Legs with prehensile elements

Question 5

Reduction of locomotive organs

Answer 5

• loss of wings in Melophagus (Diptera)

- no movement in Leishmania’s intracellular stages

Question 6

Reduction/absence of non-useful organs

Answer 6

Cestoda have no digestive tract

Question 7

Biotope adaptations

Answer 7

Enteroparasites are elongated

Parasites in cavities are often spherical

Question 8

Biological adaptations

Answer 8

1. Reproductive adaptations
2. Space-temporal adaptations to their vital cycle
3. Physic-chemical adaptations
4. Parasitic interactions
5. Manipulation of the host’s behaviour
6. Evasion of the host’s immune system

Question 9

Reproductive adaptations

Answer 9

Spermatozoa reserves (spermatheca)
Avoiding fertilisation (parthenogenesis)
Hermaphroditism
Increase in nr of genital organs
Increase of prolificity/Resistance of eggs
Multiplication of some asexual stages

Question 10

Space-temporal adaptations

Answer 10

Seasonal convergence
Timely convergence
Spacial convergence
Temporal arrested development

Question 11

Seasonal convergence

Answer 11

The parasite hatches around the same time as new hosts

Question 12

Timely convergence

Answer 12

The parasite moves during certain time period such as during the night

Question 13

Spatial convergence

Answer 13

Taenia saginata and Taenia solium in human (humans share space with bovines and swines)

Question 14

Physiochemical adaptations

Answer 14

Enteroparasites are resistive to digestive enzymes

Some parasites are resistant to environments with poor oxygen

Question 15

Parasitic interactions

Answer 15

Convergent evolution (similar anticoagulants)
Polyparasitism
Hyperparasitism (parasite inside a parasite)

Question 16

Evasion of the host’s immune system

Answer 16

1. Blocking the immune system of the host
2. reducing the immunogenic character of their antigens
3. Manipulation of the parasitic antigens
4. Manipulation of the immune response of the host
5. Resistance to the immune system of the host

Question 17

Blocking the immune system of the host

Answer 17

• bigger size
• changing places
• variating antigens

Question 18

Reducing the immunogenic character of their antigens

Answer 18

• location in areas less accessible to macrophages (brain)
• smaller doses (>smaller response)
• mimetism
• adsorption of the hosts proteins

Question 19

Manipulation of the parasitic antigens

Answer 19

• protein surface variability

- antigenic variability between different stages

Question 20

Manipulation of the immune response of the host

Answer 20

-some parasites secrete molecules similar to cytokines

Question 21

Resistance to the immune system of the host

Answer 21

Resistance of the intracellular stages of leishmania to phagolysosome’s enzymes and oxidative mechanisms

fasciola’s ability to lyse antibodies by their protease secretion