Parasitic

Parasitic Lab Report Study Notes

Author and Course Information

• Author: Leah Bartlett
• Date: April 15th, 2026
• Instructor: Franzen
• Course: Microbiology
• Session: Spring 2026

Fungal Pathogens

1. Aspergillus

• Scientific Name: Aspergillus fumigatus
• Common Name: Green-Gray Mold
• Host: Opportunistic (mostly affects individuals with lung disease or weakened immune systems)
• Infection/Disease: Aspergillosis
    - Form Types:
      - Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis
      - Aspergilloma (solid fungal ball)
      - Systemic infection
• Diagnosis:
    - Detection of galactomannan antigens in the blood
    - Microscopic exam of sputum
    - CT scans of the chest
• Treatment:
    - Voriconazole as primary therapy
    - Amphotericin B or surgical removal of fungal masses for severe cases
• Geographic Location: Global; commonly found in composting organic matter, soil, and dust
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Patients with neutropenia
    - Organ transplant recipients
    - Individuals with chronic lung diseases like cystic fibrosis

2. Candida albicans

• Scientific Name: Candida albicans
• Common Name: Yeast infection / Oral thrush
• Host: Opportunistic (part of the natural human microflora that can overgrow)
• Infection/Disease: Candidiasis
    - Forms:
      - Oral thrush
      - Diaper rash
      - Vaginal infections
      - Life-threatening bloodstream infection (candidemia)
• Diagnosis:
    - Skin or mucosal swabs
    - Microscopic identification of pseudohyphae
    - “Germ Tube” test in lab (positive results in 2-3 hours)
• Treatment:
    - Topical Nystatin for oral thrush
    - Oral Fluconazole for internal infections
    - Echinocandins for systemic cases
• Geographic Location: Universal; found wherever humans reside, as it’s part of our normal flora
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Individuals on long-term antibiotics
    - Diabetics
    - People with HIV/AIDS

3. Dermatophytes

• Scientific Name: Microsporum canis (Trichophyton)
• Common Name: Ringworm / Athlete's Foot / Tinea
• Host: Truly pathogenic (intermediate virulence; does not require a weak immune system to infect)
• Infection/Disease: Dermatophytosis
    - Forms:
      - Tinea pedis (foot)
      - Tinea capitis (scalp)
• Diagnosis:
    - KOH Prep (Potassium Hydroxide) to dissolve skin cells and observe hyphae
    - Wood’s Lamp (UV Light) to stimulate certain species to grow
• Treatment:
    - Over-the-counter antifungals such as Clotrimazole
    - Prescription antifungals such as Terbinafine
• Geographic Location: Universal; present in soil, on animals (cats/dogs), and shared surfaces (e.g., gym floors)
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Children
    - Athletes
    - Pet owners

4. Histoplasma capsulatum

• Scientific Name: Histoplasma capsulatum
• Common Name: Spelunker’s Lung / Case Disease
• Host: Truly pathogenic (can cause illness in healthy individuals)
• Infection/Disease: Histoplasmosis
    - Characterization: A pulmonary infection mimicking tuberculosis
• Diagnosis:
    - Finding small yeast cells within macrophages (immune cells)
    - Urine or blood antigen tests
• Treatment:
    - Itraconazole for mild cases
    - Amphotericin B for severe lung involvement
• Geographic Location: Highly concentrated in Ohio and the Mississippi River Valleys (USA)
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Individuals exposed to bird or bat droppings (e.g., cave explorers, farmers, construction workers)

5. Blastomyces dermatitidis

• Scientific Name: Blastomyces dermatitidis
• Common Name: North American Blastomycosis / Chicago Disease
• Host: Truly pathogenic
• Infection/Disease: Blastomycosis
    - Form: Initially a respiratory infection; may spread to skin or bones
• Diagnosis:
    - Microscopy revealing yeast with “broad-based budding” (daughter cell attached with thick neck)
• Treatment:
    - Long-term therapy with Itraconazole
    - Amphotericin B for systemic cases
• Geographic Location: Midwestern and Southeastern US, specifically near Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Individuals spending time in wooded areas or near moist soil and decaying organic matter

6. Borrelia burgdorferi

• Scientific Name: Borrelia burgdorferi
• Common Name: Lyme Disease
• Host: Truly pathogenic (transferred from animals like deer/mice to humans)
• Infection/Disease: Lyme Disease
• Diagnosis:
    - Clinical observation of erythema migrans (bull’s-eye rash)
    - Two-tier blood testing (ELISA and Western Blot)
• Treatment:
    - Antibiotics, primarily Doxycycline or Amoxicillin
• Geographic Location: Primarily Northeast and Mid-Atlantic United States
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Those spending time in wooded or grassy areas (hikers, campers, gardeners)

7. Rickettsia rickettsii

• Scientific Name: Rickettsia rickettsii
• Common Name: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever (RMSF)
• Host: Truly pathogenic (obligate intracellular bacterium)
• Infection/Disease: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
    - Vector: American Dog Tick (Dermacentor variabilis)
• Diagnosis:
    - Clinical observation of spotted rash beginning on wrists/ankles
    - Confirmed via Indirect Fluorescent Antibody (IFA) blood test or PCR
• Treatment:
    - Doxycycline (must be administered promptly, often before lab results return)
• Geographic Location: Found throughout the Americas, most commonly in Southeastern United States (NC, TN, OK, AR)
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Individuals with frequent dog contact or those living near wooded brushy areas with high tick activity

8. Entamoeba histolytica

• Scientific Name: Entamoeba histolytica
• Common Name: Amoebic Dysentery
• Host: Truly pathogenic (leading cause of parasitic death worldwide)
• Infection/Disease: Amebiasis
    - Symptoms: Causes severe bloody diarrhea, abdominal pain, and potentially liver abscesses; no vector involved
• Diagnosis:
    - Microscopic examination of stool samples for cysts or trophozoites
• Treatment:
    - Metronidazole (Flagyl) followed by a luminal agent like Paromomycin
• Geographic Location: Global; predominantly in tropical regions with inadequate sanitation
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Travelers to endemic areas and individuals in institutions with shared water sources

9. Naegleria fowleri

• Scientific Name: Naegleria fowleri
• Common Name: Brain-eating Amoeba
• Host: Truly pathogenic (humans are accidental hosts; infections are often fatal)
• Infection/Disease: Primary Amebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM)
    - Characteristic: Rapidly destroys brain tissue
• Diagnosis:
    - Detection of active amoebae in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) via lumbar puncture
• Treatment:
    - Amphotericin B and Miltefosine (must act promptly for effectiveness)
• Geographic Location: Warm freshwater environments (lakes, rivers, hot springs) throughout the Southern U.S.
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Individuals swimming or diving in warm, stagnant freshwater during summer

10. Giardia intestinalis

• Scientific Name: Giardia intestinalis (also known as G. lambia)
• Common Name: Beaver Fever / Giardiasis
• Host: Truly pathogenic (recognizable due to its “face-like” trophozoite)
• Infection/Disease: Giardiasis
    - Symptoms: Causes greasy, foul-smelling diarrhea, bloating, and flatulence
• Diagnosis:
    - Stool O&P (observing cysts/trophozoites) or an Entero-test (weighted string sampling from the small intestine)
• Treatment:
    - Metronidazole or Tinidazole
• Geographic Location: Worldwide; prevalent in both developing nations and backcountry wilderness areas
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Backpackers, hikers, and children in daycare settings

11. Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi

• Scientific Name: Trypanosoma brucei (African Sleeping Sickness) or Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas Disease)
• Host: Truly pathogenic
• Infection/Disease:
    - Testes Fly (for African type) or Reduviid “Kissing” Bug (for Chagas)
• Diagnosis:
    - Microscopic exam of blood smear to locate flagellated “trypomastigotes”
• Treatment:
    - Suramin or Pentamidine for early stages; Melarsoprol for late-stage brain infection
• Geographic Location: Sub-Saharan Africa (for T. brucei) or Latin America (for T. cruzi)
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Individuals in rural areas where specific insect vectors thrive

12. Leishmania donovani

• Scientific Name: Leishmania donovani (or L. tropica)
• Common Name: Leishmaniasis
• Host: Truly pathogenic
• Infection/Disease: Leishmaniasis
    - Forms: Can be cutaneous (skin sore) or visceral (organ damage)
    - Vector: Sandfly (Phlebotomine flies)
• Diagnosis:
    - Biopsy of skin lesions or bone marrow showing amastigotes inside macrophages
• Treatment:
    - Sodium stibogluconate or Amphotericin B
• Geographic Location: Tropics and Subtropics
    - Regions: Middle East, Southern Europe, South America
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Travelers, soldiers, or residents in dry, sandy endemic zones

13. Plasmodium falciparum

• Scientific Name: Plasmodium falciparum
• Common Name: Malaria
• Host: Truly pathogenic (infects and destroys red blood cells)
• Infection/Disease: Malaria
    - Characterization: Cycles of high fever, chills, and anemia
• Vector: Female Anopheles mosquitoes
• Diagnosis:
    - Thick and thin blood smears showing “ring stage” within red blood cells
• Treatment:
    - Artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT) or Chloroquine
• Geographic Location: Worldwide in tropical regions; highest burden in Sub-Saharan Africa
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Young children and pregnant women in endemic regions

14. Toxoplasma gondii

• Scientific Name: Toxoplasma gondii
• Common Name: Toxoplasmosis
• Host: Opportunistic (usually asymptomatic in healthy people, but dangerous for fetuses or immunocompromised individuals)
• Infection/Disease: Toxoplasmosis
    - Symptoms: Can cause flu-like symptoms or serious damage to brain/eyes in high-risk groups
• Diagnosis:
    - Serological testing (detecting antibodies) or identification of cysts in tissue biopsies
• Treatment:
    - Combination of Pyrimethamine and Sulfadiazine
• Geographic Location: Worldwide; up to one-third of the global population may be infected
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Pregnant women (risk to fetus) and HIV/AIDS patients

15. Ascaris lumbricoides

• Scientific Name: Ascaris lumbricoides
• Common Name: Giant Roundworm
• Host: Truly pathogenic
• Infection/Disease: Ascariasis
    - Symptoms: Causes intestinal blockages or lung inflammation during larval migration
• Diagnosis:
    - Finding oval, bumpy-shelled eggs in fecal samples
• Treatment:
    - Albendazole or Mebendazole
• Geographic Location: Global; prevalence high in warm, moist climates with limited sanitation
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Children in tropical areas playing in soil, and individuals using human waste as fertilizer

16. Enterobius vermicularis

• Scientific Name: Enterobius vermicularis
• Common Name: Pinworm
• Host: Truly pathogenic (very common in children)
• Infection/Disease:
    - Symptoms: Causes intense anal itching, especially at night
• Diagnosis:
    - Scotch Tape Test to collect eggs from the perianal area in the morning
• Treatment:
    - Pyrantel pamoate or Mebendazole
• Geographic Location: Worldwide; highly prevalent in the United States
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - School-aged children and residents in institutional settings

17. Necator americanus

• Scientific Name: Necator americanus
• Common Name: New World Hookworm
• Host: Truly pathogenic
• Infection/Disease: Hookworm infection
    - Symptoms: Causes iron-deficiency anemia as it feeds on blood in the gut
• Diagnosis:
    - Microscopic identification of eggs in stool samples
• Treatment:
    - Albendazole or Mebendazole
• Geographic Location: Southern U.S., Central/South America, and Sub-Saharan Africa
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Individuals walking barefoot in soil contaminated with human waste

18. Trichinella spiralis

• Scientific Name: Trichinella spiralis
• Common Name: Trichina worm
• Host: Truly pathogenic
• Infection/Disease: Trichinosis
    - Symptoms: Larvae migrate and encyst in skeletal muscle
• Diagnosis:
    - Muscle biopsy or blood test (serology)
• Treatment:
    - Albendazole plus corticosteroids for inflammation
• Geographic Location: Worldwide; common where wild game or raw pork is consumed
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Hunters or individuals eating undercooked pork or bear meat

19. Loa loa

• Scientific Name: Loa loa
• Common Name: African Eye Worm
• Host: Truly pathogenic (humans are primary reservoir)
• Infection/Disease: Loiasis
    - Symptoms: Characterized by “Calabar swellings” and worms migrating across the eye
• Diagnosis:
    - Visual identification of worms in the eye or finding microfilariae in daytime blood smear
• Treatment:
    - Diethylcarbamazine (DEC) or surgical removal from the eye
• Geographic Location: Confined to the rainforest of West and Central Africa
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Residents and travelers in rainforest regions exposed to Deerfly (Chrysops) bites

20. Taenia saginata

• Scientific Name: Taenia saginata
• Common Name: Beef Tapeworm
• Host: Truly pathogenic
• Infection/Disease: Taeniasis
    - Description: An intestinal parasitic infection
• Diagnosis:
    - Microscopic identification of eggs or proglottids in stool
• Treatment:
    - Praziquantel (single dose)
• Geographic Location: Worldwide, particularly in regions where beef is consumed raw or undercooked
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Individuals consuming raw or undercooked beef (e.g., “rare” steaks or tartare)

21. Opisthorchis sinesis

• Scientific Name: Opisthorchis sinesis
• Common Name: Chinese Liver Fluke
• Host: Truly pathogenic
• Infection/Disease: Clonorchiasis
    - Characterization: Lives in bile ducts; can lead to liver disease
• Diagnosis:
    - Identification of eggs in stool or duodenal aspirates
• Treatment:
    - Praziquantel
• Geographic Location: East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam)
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Individuals consuming raw or undercooked freshwater fish

22. Schistosoma japonicum

• Scientific Name: Schistosoma japonicum
• Common Name: Blood Fluke
• Host: Truly pathogenic
• Infection/Disease: Schistosomiasis
    - Mechanism: Larvae from snails burrow through the skin in freshwater
• Diagnosis:
    - Identification of eggs with a small, rounded spine in stool samples
• Treatment:
    - Praziquantel
• Geographic Location: East or Southeast Asia
• At-Risk Individuals:
    - Individuals swimming or washing in freshwater where specific snails reside.