parasitology

Parasite

one animal deriving its sustenance from another without making compensation. The uncompensated animal is the host

Parasitology

the study of parasties and their relationships

Host

the partner on which a parasite resides, may provide protection or food. Some parasits require more than one host in their life time but some may not need one at all in certain stages

Definitive host

a host where a parasite reaches sexual maturity and reproduction takes place

Intermediate host

a host where essential development takes place

Reservoir carrier host

the host harboring a parasite in nature, serving as a source of infection for other susceptible hosts. Reservoir hosts show no sign or symptom of disease

Paratenic host

an accidental host serving as a holding place for a parasite

Vector

"carrier" of a parasite from one host to another, often an inscect

Symbiosis

"living together" a close relationship between two different organisms

Mutualism

a relationship between two organisms where both benifit

commensalism

"eating at the same table" a relationship where one party benifits and the other is neither harmed or helped

Parasitism

one organism is benifitted at the expense of another

Phoresis

means "to carry" a type of parasitic relationship where one organism (the smaller phoront) is mechanically carried on or in a host

endoparasite

a parasite that lives inside of another organism

ectoparasite

a parasite that lives on the surface of another organism

zoonosis

a parasitic disease in which an animal is normally the host - but which also infects man

fomite

Any inanimate object to which infectious material adheres and can be transmitted.

shistoma

causes renal tract and intestinal diease (schistosomiasis), also called blood flukes

tryponosoma cruzi

hemoflagellet,causes chagas disease and transmitted by the reduvii bug

African tryposoma

hemoflagellet, causes african sleeping sickness, transmitted by the tsete fly

Giardia lamblia

distributed worldwide, lives in the small intestine and results in diarrhea and malapsorption of nutrients

Entamoeba histolytica

may invade the colon and cause bloody diarrhea, amoebic dysentary and amoebic liver abcesses

Cryptosporidium parvum

more common in the immunocompromized

Cyclospora cyatenensis

parasite in the small intestine mucosa, may cause diarrhea for several weeks

Balantidium coli

a large motile ciliated parasite that lives in the colon of pigs, humans, and rodents and can lead to colonic ulceration

Plasmodium

the cause of malaria There are 4 species that infect humans: P. falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale and P. malariae

Toxoplasma gondi

transmitted from the ingestion of oocytes (eggs) from cat feces, infection can lead to ocular problems and also a cause of neonatal toxoplasoma

Leishmania

transmitted by sand flies and can cause visceral, cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis

Thricurus

whipworm, soil transmitted helminth prevanent in warm and humid conditions. can cause diarrhea, rectal prolapse, and anemia in heavly infected people

Ancylostoma and Necator

hookworms, a major cause of anemia in the tropics

stronglyoids

inhabits the small bowel, infections more serious in the immunosupressed

Enterobius

pinworm or threadworm, prevanelnt in cold and temperate climates but rare in the tropics. mostly found in children

Ascaris

roundworm, found world wide in conditions with poor hygine, adult worms live in the small intestine, causes eosinophillia

Onchocerca volvulus

Transmitted by the simulium black fly, this microfilarial parasite can cause visual impairment, blindness and severe itching of the skin in those infected

Wuchereria bancrofti

The major causative agent of lymphatic filariasis

Brugia malayi

Another filarial worm causing lymphatic filariasis.

Toxocara

A world-wide infection of dogs and (more likely) cats. - Human infection occurs when embryonated eggs are ingested from dog or cat feces. - It is common in children and can cause visceral larva migrans (VLM)

Taenia saginata

intestinal tapeworm, worldwide, gotten from eating undercooked or contaminated beef, common infection but not very serious

Taenia solium

intestinal tapeworm, worldwide, gotten from eating by ingestion of contaminated, uncooked pork that contains cystercerci - Less common, but causes cystercicosis - a systemic disease where cysticerci encyst in muscles and in the brain - is actually an infectious cause of epilepsy

Echinococcus granulosus and Echinicoccus multilocularis

dog tapeworm and rodent tapeworm respectively, Hydatid disease occurs when the larval stages of these organisms are ingested - The larvae may develop in the human host and cause space-occupying lesions in several organs, e.g. liver, brain

dermatophytes

various types of funal diseases, causes skin and nail disease, Referred to as Tinea (worm) because of the ring like appearance on scalp, Cause ringworm, jock itch, athlete's foot, etc, limited to the outer skin

Sporothrix schenckii

aquired from soil and plant material, infects deeper into the skin but not systemic

blastomycosis

causes by blastomyces, generally aquired by inhalarion of spores, Lung infections, may spread beyond into other tissues

coccidiomycosis

causes by Coccidiodes generally aquired by inhalarion of spores, Lung infections, may spread beyond into other tissues

histoplasmosis

causes by hitoplasmoses, most common in this area of the country, many people exposed with asymptomatic cases, many test positive for exposure

Aspergillus (aspergillosis)

• Variety of species, very common in soil, plant materials - Serious infections in immunocompromized - Allergies to A. fumigatus - Poisoning from aflatoxin from A. flavus

Candida (candidiasis)

normal microbiota - Cause of vaginal infections, diaper rash, thrush - Capable of infecting any part of the body - Dangerous in cancer patients, HIV infections, etc.

Cryptococcus neoformans

opprotunistic funagl infection. Inhalaton of spores - Can infect many parts, but has predilecton for CNS - Partcularly serious in AIDS

Pneumocysis carinii

Very protozoan like, but is a fungus - Most cases associated with AIDS - Serious lung infectons: PCP (P. carinii pneumonia)