Trypanosomes Flashcards
What type of vector transmites Trypanosomes?
Bugs and reservoir hosts
Where in the world does transmission take place?
Geographical location of the vector.
What are the two African Trypanosoma’s?
T. brucei gambiense (West African)
T. brucei rhodesiense (East African)
What is the American Trypanosoma?
T. cruzi (Chagas disease)
What is the African trypanosoma life cycle?
How is African trypanosomiasis transmitted?
Infected tsetse flies
Where is West African trypanosomiasis found?
Rural parts of central Africa and in a few areas of West Africa.
Where is East African trypanosomiasis found?
Rural parts of Eastern and Southeastern Africa.
What are the two stages of African trypanosomiasis?
- Hemolymphatic stage
- CNS stage (Meningoencephalitis stage)
What are the symptoms during the hemolymphatic stage?
Fever, joint pain, enlargement of lymph noes, malaise.
What are the symptoms during the CNS stage?
Severe headache, stiff neck, sleeplessness, depression, seizures, tremors.
What are the clinical symptoms of West African (T. gambian)?
Painful ulcer, fever, meningoencephalitis.
What is the treatment of T. gambiense (West African)?
Lumbar puncture necessary to determine CNS involvement.
*Agent must be able to pass Blood-Brain Barrier.
What is the infective/diagnostic stage of T. gambiense (West African)?
Trypomastigote
What is the life cycle of T. gambiense (West African)?
True or False
T. gambiense is more virulent than T. rhodesiense.
False
What are the clinical symptoms of T. rhodesiense?
Rapid weight loss, fever, mental disturbance, kidney damage.
What are the reservoir hosts for T. rhodesiense?
Cattle , sheep, wild animals
What tsetse fly species are associated with T. rhodesiense/
Glossina morsitans and Glossina pallidipes.
Where is American trypanosomiasis found?
Latin America.
How is T. cruzi transmitted?
Triatomine bug (vector-borne) as well as orally (food-borne) through blood/blood products, mother to child, organ transplantation, and lab accidents.
How else is T. cruzi transmitted?
Kissing bug defecates near blood meal site and that is rubbed into eye/mouth/mucus membrane.
What is the life cycle of T. cruzi?
What is the infective stage for T.cruzi?
Trypomastigotes.
What are the clinical symptoms of T. cruzi?
- Erythematous nodule (chagoma) at infection site (usually around face)
- edema and rash around the eyes
- conjuctivitis
- fever
- chills
- fatigue
When T. cruzi develops into Chagas disease what are the symptoms?
End-stage organ damage
1. heart disease
2. enlargement of the colon or esophagus
3. CNS involvenment
4. Brain damage
How do trypanosomes avoid the immune response and how does that affect vaccine development?
How many eggs do Tse flies produce?
Describe the process that results in T.cruzi infection
How is Chagas disease trasnmitted to humans in the US?
