Clinical Parasitology Lecture I

Study Notes

Infestation refers to parasites living on the surface of the skin.
Infection occurs when parasites inhabit the inside of the human body.
Parasitology studies the dependence of one organism on another for survival.
Medical Parasitology focuses on animal parasites of humans, their medical significance, and impacts on communities.
Tropical Medicine addresses tropical diseases and medical issues prevalent in tropical regions.

Parasite: An organism that relies on another living creature for survival.
Host: The organism that supports or harbors the parasite.
Vector: A carrier that transmits the parasite from one host to another.
Incidence: Represents the number of new and existing infection cases in a population over a specified timeframe.
Worm Burden/Intensity of Infection: Indicates the number of worms present per infected individual.
Deworming: Administration of anti-helminthic or anti-parasitic drugs as part of public health initiatives.
Elimination: Achieving zero instances of a specific infection through community efforts.
Eradication: Permanently reducing a worldwide infection incidence to zero.

Superinfection/Hyperinfection: Occurs when an individual, already harboring a parasite, becomes reinfected with the same species, potentially leading to severe infection or death.
Autoinfection/Autoreinfection: Involves a person being reexposed to the parasite from their own body.
Coinfection: When two distinct parasites infect the same individual simultaneously.

Incubation Period: Duration between infection and the manifestation of symptoms.
Biologic Incubation Period/Prepatent Period: Time until a specimen tests positive.
Clinical Incubation Period: Time until symptoms become evident.

Ectoparasite: Lives outside the host's body, does not penetrate tissues; associated with infestation.
Endoparasite: Resides inside the host’s body, causing infections; commonly responsible for human illness.
Saprophytes: Organisms that derive nutrients from decomposing organic matter, typically not harmful to living hosts but significant in ecological contexts.