Trypanosomes

Question 1

What type of vector transmites Trypanosomes?

Answer 1

Bugs and reservoir hosts

Question 2

Where in the world does transmission take place?

Answer 2

Geographical location of the vector.

Question 3

What are the two African Trypanosoma’s?

Answer 3

T. brucei gambiense (West African)
T. brucei rhodesiense (East African)

Question 4

What is the American Trypanosoma?

Answer 4

T. cruzi (Chagas disease)

Question 5

What is the African trypanosoma life cycle?

Question 6

How is African trypanosomiasis transmitted?

Answer 6

Infected tsetse flies

Question 7

Where is West African trypanosomiasis found?

Answer 7

Rural parts of central Africa and in a few areas of West Africa.

Question 8

Where is East African trypanosomiasis found?

Answer 8

Rural parts of Eastern and Southeastern Africa.

Question 9

What are the two stages of African trypanosomiasis?

Answer 9

1. Hemolymphatic stage
2. CNS stage (Meningoencephalitis stage)

Question 10

What are the symptoms during the hemolymphatic stage?

Answer 10

Fever, joint pain, enlargement of lymph noes, malaise.

Question 11

What are the symptoms during the CNS stage?

Answer 11

Severe headache, stiff neck, sleeplessness, depression, seizures, tremors.

Question 12

What are the clinical symptoms of West African (T. gambian)?

Answer 12

Painful ulcer, fever, meningoencephalitis.

Question 13

What is the treatment of T. gambiense (West African)?

Answer 13

Lumbar puncture necessary to determine CNS involvement.
*Agent must be able to pass Blood-Brain Barrier.

Question 14

What is the infective/diagnostic stage of T. gambiense (West African)?

Answer 14

Trypomastigote

Question 15

What is the life cycle of T. gambiense (West African)?

Question 16

True or False
T. gambiense is more virulent than T. rhodesiense.

Answer 16

False

Question 17

What are the clinical symptoms of T. rhodesiense?

Answer 17

Rapid weight loss, fever, mental disturbance, kidney damage.

Question 17

What are the reservoir hosts for T. rhodesiense?

Answer 17

Cattle , sheep, wild animals

Question 18

What tsetse fly species are associated with T. rhodesiense/

Answer 18

Glossina morsitans and Glossina pallidipes.

Question 19

Where is American trypanosomiasis found?

Answer 19

Latin America.

Question 20

How is T. cruzi transmitted?

Answer 20

Triatomine bug (vector-borne) as well as orally (food-borne) through blood/blood products, mother to child, organ transplantation, and lab accidents.

Question 21

How else is T. cruzi transmitted?

Answer 21

Kissing bug defecates near blood meal site and that is rubbed into eye/mouth/mucus membrane.

Question 22

What is the life cycle of T. cruzi?

Question 23

What is the infective stage for T.cruzi?

Answer 23

Trypomastigotes.

Question 24

What are the clinical symptoms of T. cruzi?

Answer 24

1. Erythematous nodule (chagoma) at infection site (usually around face)
2. edema and rash around the eyes
3. conjuctivitis
4. fever
5. chills
6. fatigue

Question 25

When T. cruzi develops into Chagas disease what are the symptoms?

Answer 25

End-stage organ damage
1. heart disease
2. enlargement of the colon or esophagus
3. CNS involvenment
4. Brain damage

Question 26

How do trypanosomes avoid the immune response and how does that affect vaccine development?

Question 27

How many eggs do Tse flies produce?

Question 28

Describe the process that results in T.cruzi infection

Question 29

How is Chagas disease trasnmitted to humans in the US?