Trypanosomiases + Balantidiasis

Question 1

Provide the trypanosomiases for these locations

Sub-Saharan Africa
South and Central America

Answer 1

Human African Trypanosomiasis -
sleeping sickness

American Trypanosomiasis -
Chagas’ disease

Question 2

Several trypanosome species cause important veterinary diseases – only 2 cause significant human diseases. What are they?

Answer 2

Sub-Saharan Africa - Trypanosoma brucei causes sleeping
sickness or human African trypanosomiasis.
America - Trypanosoma cruzi causes Chagas’ disease.

Question 3

Protozoan order of trypanosoma

Answer 3

Kinetoplastida

Question 4

Trypanosoma are multicellular flagellates. True or false?

Answer 4

False. They are single-celled.

Question 5

Two tsetse-transmitted parasites that cause HAT are:

Answer 5

T. brucei gambiense and
T. brucei rhodesiense

Question 6

African Animal Trypanosomiasis is caused by

Answer 6

T. congolense
T. vivax
T. brucei subsp. brucei.
T. simiae
T. godfrey

Question 7

T. brucei is transmitted in ____, while T. cruzi is transmitted via…

Answer 7

…tsetse saliva.
…vector faeces.

Question 8

Clinical course of HAT has two stages. What are they?

Answer 8

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.

Question 9

T. b. rhodesiense features

Answer 9

• 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.

Question 10

T.b. gambiense features

Answer 10

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.

Question 11

Treatment of trypanosomiasis

Answer 11

STAGE 1
Pentamidine
Suramin

STAGE 2
Melarsoprol (new short regimen)
Eflorithine

ACUTE CHAGAS
Benznidazole
Nifurtimox

Question 12

Balantidiasis causative agent:

Answer 12

Balantidium coli

Question 13

Balantidium reservoir

Answer 13

humans, other primates and pigs,

Question 14

Unique features of ciliates and B. coli

Answer 14

• 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.

Question 15

B coli infection is most often symptomatic. True or false?

Answer 15

False. It is often asymptomatic.

Question 16

Common symptoms of Balantidiasis include

Answer 16

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.

Question 17

A diagnosis of Balantidiasis must be made by

Answer 17

• Microscopic examination (wet mount) of stool or tissue sample.
• Sigmoidoscopy procedure

Question 18

Balantidiasis treatment

Answer 18

• Tetracyclines
• Metronidazole
• Iodoquinol
• Puromycin
• Nitazoxanide

Question 19

How else is trypanosomiasis transmitted?

Answer 19

Blood transfusion
Congenital route
Contaminated needles