Podcast
Questions and Answers
What is a characteristic of an 'ideal' parasite?
What is a characteristic of an 'ideal' parasite?
- It causes immediate death to the host.
- It is always a bacterium.
- It is always easily detected by the host's immune system.
- It has a complex life cycle that allows for both asexual and sexual reproduction. (correct)
What is the purpose of the cuticle in nematodes?
What is the purpose of the cuticle in nematodes?
- To aid in attachment to the host
- To provide a surface for absorption of nutrients
- To protect the parasite from the host's immune system (correct)
- To facilitate movement through the host's tissues
What is the result of a successful immune response to a parasitic infection?
What is the result of a successful immune response to a parasitic infection?
- Recovery and immunity (correct)
- Death of the host
- Increased susceptibility to future infections
- Chronic infection
Which of the following parasites avoids the immune system?
Which of the following parasites avoids the immune system?
What is the role of lymphokines in the immune response to Trichinella spiralis?
What is the role of lymphokines in the immune response to Trichinella spiralis?
What is the term for the movement of White Blood Cells from the bloodstream to the tissues during inflammation?
What is the term for the movement of White Blood Cells from the bloodstream to the tissues during inflammation?
What is the term for the formation of a collection of immune cells around a foreign substance or parasite?
What is the term for the formation of a collection of immune cells around a foreign substance or parasite?
What is the result of bioaccumulation in the parasite Diphyllobothrium latum?
What is the result of bioaccumulation in the parasite Diphyllobothrium latum?
What is the result of the larval deposition in Trichinella life cycle?
What is the result of the larval deposition in Trichinella life cycle?
What is the most effective against schistosomules?
What is the most effective against schistosomules?
What is the reason for the fluctuation of parasitemia in Trypanosoma gambiensis?
What is the reason for the fluctuation of parasitemia in Trypanosoma gambiensis?
What is the primary vector of Malaria?
What is the primary vector of Malaria?
Which species of Plasmodium is responsible for the most severe and fatal outcomes?
Which species of Plasmodium is responsible for the most severe and fatal outcomes?
What is the term for the removal of parasites from the bloodstream?
What is the term for the removal of parasites from the bloodstream?
What is the purpose of thick and thin blood smears in Malaria diagnosis?
What is the purpose of thick and thin blood smears in Malaria diagnosis?
What is the term for the wasting away of the body due to repeated paroxysms of Malaria?
What is the term for the wasting away of the body due to repeated paroxysms of Malaria?
Study Notes
Adaptation
- An "ideal" parasite has adaptations to optimize its survival and reproduction
- Morphological adaptations include:
- Size: larger to house reproductive system
- Shape: long and thin, broad and flat, round
- Attachment: suckers, acetabula, hooks, biological holdfast
- Body surface adaptations:
- Cuticle: found in nematodes
- Absorptive surface: found in tapeworms
Reproductive System
- Reproductive cyst: found in protozoan
- Reproductive organs make up majority of body mass
- Hermaphroditic: capable of producing both male and female gametes
- Complex life cycles allow for asexual and sexual reproduction
- Bioaccumulation: seen in Diphyllobothrium latum
- Free and parasitic parts of life cycles: seen in Strongyloides
Immunity
- Non-specific immunity:
- Phagocytosis and inflammation
- Inflammation: movement and actions of WBCs in inflammation
- Margination
- Diapedesis
- Chemotaxis
- Ingestion
- Digestion
- Granuloma formation
- Specific immunity:
- Humoral (immunoglobulin or antibody): B cells
- Cell-mediated immunity: T cells
Parasitic Infection
- Can result in:
- Chronic infection
- Recovery and immunity
- Death
Immune Response to Intestinal Nematodes
- Ascaris: avoids the immune system
- Necator: some inflammation due to partial tissue invasion
- Trichinella: tissue invader, good immune response, but leaves larvae behind
Trichinella Spiralis
- Immune response involves:
- Worm antigens or foreign materials
- Lymph system
- Lymph nodes
- T cells
- Lymphokines:
- Stimulatory
- Chemotactic
- Arming
- White Blood Cells in inflammation as a result of T-cell lymphokines
- Life cycle compensation: larval deposition
Molecular Mimicry
- Smithers' Experiment: proves Molecular Mimicry by worm transplants between hosts
Immunity against Schistosomules
- Antibody and white blood cells most effective against schistosomules
Trypanosoma Gambiensis
- African sleeping sickness
- Parasitemia fluctuates due to:
- Specific antibody against glycoprotein coat
- Changing glycoprotein coat
- Alternate expression of genes controlling variant specific surface glycoproteins
- Variant Specific Glycoprotein (VSG) coat
Malaria
- Means "bad air"
- Endemic in 90 countries; 1.5B people exposed; 750,000 die mostly in Africa
- Vector: Anopheles mosquito
- Types:
- Plasmodium vivax (80% of cases, tropics, subtropics, temperate zones)
- Plasmodium falciparum (15% of cases, tropics)
- Plasmodium ovalae (rare, West Africa)
- Plasmodium malaria (rare and spotty in locations)
- Human is the intermediate host; Mosquito is the definitive host
- Clinical syndromes:
- Acute Benign: P.vivax, P.ovale, P.malaria
- Acute Malignant: P.falciparum
- Cerebral malaria: capillary obstruction and ring hemorrhage
- Blackwater fever: P.falciparum, acute hemolytic syndrome
- Malarial Cachexia: all species, wasting away from repeated paroxysms
- General pathologic changes:
- Anemia
- Enlarged spleen and liver
- Diagnosis: thick and thin blood smear, response to chemotherapy
Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma
- Cryptosporidium:
- Life cycle
- Symptoms/pathology
- Treatment
- Water treatment considerations
- Toxoplasma gondii and Babesia microti:
- Life cycles
- General location/geographic risk
- Symptoms/pathology
- Special precautions or coinfections?
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Description
Review key concepts of parasitology including adaptations, morphological features, and reproductive systems of parasites.
