Trypanosomiases + Balantidiasis Flashcards
Provide the trypanosomiases for these locations
Sub-Saharan Africa
South and Central America
Human African Trypanosomiasis -
sleeping sickness
American Trypanosomiasis -
Chagas’ disease
Several trypanosome species cause important veterinary diseases – only 2 cause significant human diseases. What are they?
Sub-Saharan Africa - Trypanosoma brucei causes sleeping
sickness or human African trypanosomiasis.
America - Trypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas’ disease.
Protozoan order of trypanosoma
Kinetoplastida
Trypanosoma are multicellular flagellates. True or false?
False. They are single-celled.
Two tsetse-transmitted parasites that cause HAT are:
T. brucei gambiense and
T. brucei rhodesiense
African Animal Trypanosomiasis is caused by
T. congolense
T. vivax
T. brucei subsp. brucei.
T. simiae
T. godfrey
T. brucei is transmitted in ____, while T. cruzi is transmitted via…
…tsetse saliva.
…vector faeces.
Clinical course of HAT has two stages. What are they?
Stage 1 - Parasite is found in the peripheral circulation is yet to invade the CNS.
Stage 2 - Parasite crosses the BBB and infects the CNS.
T. b. rhodesiense features
- Progresses rapidly.
- A large sore (a chancre) at the site of the tsetse bite
- Rash
- Fever, headache, muscle and joint
aches, and enlarged lymph nodes within 1-2 weeks of the infective bite. - Invades the CNS after few weeks
- Death ensues usually within months.
T.b. gambiense features
Progresses slowly
Mild symptoms
Intermittent fevers, headaches,
muscle and joint aches and malaise.
Itching of the skin, swollen lymph nodes and weight loss can
occur.
CNS involvement after 1-2 years
Daytime sleepiness with nighttime
sleep disturbance and progressive confusion.
Treatment of trypanosomiasis
STAGE 1
Pentamidine
Suramin
STAGE 2
Melarsoprol (new short regimen)
Eflorithine
ACUTE CHAGAS
Benznidazole
Nifurtimox
Balantidiasis causative agent:
Balantidium coli
Balantidium reservoir
humans, other primates and pigs,
Unique features of ciliates and B. coli
- 2 nuclei (one macronucleus and one
micronucleus) - reproduce by transverse binary fission,
conjugation, autogamy, and cytogamy. - B. coli has 2 contractile vacuoles, suggesting that it has a unique osmoregulatory
capacity.
B coli infection is most often symptomatic. True or false?
False. It is often asymptomatic.
Common symptoms of Balantidiasis include
chronic diarrhoea
occasional dysentery (diarrhoea with passage of blood or mucus)
nausea
foul breath
colitis
abdominal pain
weight loss
deep intestinal ulcerations, and possibly
perforation of the intestine.
These symptoms are non-specific and common to other conditions such as amoebic dysentery or amoebiasis.
A diagnosis of Balantidiasis must be made by
- Microscopic examination (wet mount) of stool or tissue sample.
- Sigmoidoscopy procedure
Balantidiasis treatment
- Tetracyclines
- Metronidazole
- Iodoquinol
- Puromycin
- Nitazoxanide
How else is trypanosomiasis transmitted?
Blood transfusion
Congenital route
Contaminated needles
