9_IHD

Parasite

An organism that lives on or in a host organism and gets its food from or at the expense of its host.

Name the 3 kinds of parasites

Helminths - worm like organisms

Protozoa - single celled organisms

Ectoparasites - exsternal parasites (fleas, lice etc )

Do parasites have a symbiotic relationship with their host?

No, because the parasite is the only one who benefits

Helminths

Large multicellular organisms that can be free-living or parasitic, generally visible to the naked eye in their adult stages.

Can adult helminths multiply in humans?

No

Are helminths free living or parasitic?

Both

Name the 3 major parasitic groups of helminths

Flatworms (platyhelminths): includes trematodes (flukes) and cestodes (tapeworms)

Thorny headed worms (acanthocephalias): adult forms reside in the gestational tract

Round warms (nematodes): adult forms are found in various body systems (GIT, blood, lymphatics, or scar tissues): larval stages can cause diverse diseases

Helminths: Flatworms & Acanthocephalins

Includes tapeworms (Cestodes, e.g., Taenia species), flukes (Trematodes, e.g., Fasciola species), and thorny-headed worms (e.g., Moniliformis moniliformis).

Protozoa

Microscopic, one-celled organisms that can multiply in humans and can be either free-living or parasitic.

Ectoparasites

Parasites that live on the outer surface of a host, such as fleas, lice, mites, and ticks.

Acanthocephalins

Thorny-headed worms, which are a type of helminth that resides in the gastrointestinal tract.

Anthelminthic drugs

Medications used to treat infestations with helminths by targeting various physiological processes.

Sporozoan life cycle

The developmental stages in sporozoans that involve both definitive and intermediate hosts, including humans and mosquitoes.

Malarial vector

The organism, primarily female Anopheles mosquitoes, that transmits malaria parasites to humans.

Plasmodium vivax

The most widespread malarial species, causing benign tertian malaria with recurring fevers every 48 hours.

Schizogony

A type of asexual reproduction in protozoans where multiple fission occurs, resulting in numerous daughter cells.

Exoerythrocytic cycle

The stage of the malaria life cycle that occurs in the liver, involving sporozoites and schizonts.

Erythrocytic cycle

The stage of the malaria life cycle that occurs in red blood cells, involving the invasion and multiplication of merozoites.

Malignant tertian malaria

A severe form of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum, characterized by severe symptoms and complications.

Encystment

When the protozoa forms a cyst to protect itself from harsh environmental conditions. It is in a dormant form during this time.

Global burden of malaria

The wide impact of malaria globally, with significant cases and mortality, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.

Vector control interventions

Measures implemented to reduce or interrupt disease transmission by targeting the vectors, such as mosquitoes.