Week 4 - Parasite Infections

Question 1

What is the name of the parasite and vector associated with Chagas’ disease?

Answer 1

Parasite: Trypanosoma cruzi

Vector: Triatomine Bug (“Kissing Bug”)

Question 2

What is the name of the parasite and vector associated with Leishmaniasis?

Answer 2

Parasite: Leishmania (protozoan)

Vector: Sand fly

Question 3

What is the name of the parasite and vector associated with African Sleeping Sickness?

Answer 3

Parasite: Trypanosoma brucei (gambiense/rhodesiense)

Vector: TseTse fly

Question 4

What is the name of the parasite and vector associated with Lymphatic filariasis (elephantitis)?

Answer 4

Parasite: Wuchereria bancrofti (nematode)

Vector: Misquito

Question 5

What is the name of the parasite and vector associated with Toxoplasmosis?

Answer 5

Parasite: Toxoplasma gondii

Vector: Tissue cyst (uncooked meat) OR

Fecal oocyst (unwashed produce/cat feces)

Question 6

What is the name of the parasite and vector associated with Onchocerciasis (River Blindness)?

Answer 6

Parasite: Ochocerca volvulus (nematode - roundworm)

Vector: Blackfly

Question 7

What is the name of the parasite and vector associated with Babesiosis?

Answer 7

Parasite: Babesia (protozoan)

Vector: Ixodes scapularis (Deer tick)

Question 8

What are classic symptoms of Onchocerciasis (River Blindness)?

Answer 8

• Nodules under the skin
• Hyperpigmented skin
• Severe itching
• Eye lesions
• Keratitis (inflammation of cornea) leading to gradual permanent blindness
• opacity of eye

Question 9

What are classic symptoms of Leishmaniasis?

Answer 9

• Cutaneous
  
  • Ulcerative skin lesion with raised outer border
  • Swollen glands near sores
• Mucocutaneous
  
  • ulcerative lesions of mucous membranes
• Visceral
  
  • splenomegaly
  • weight loss

Question 10

What are classic symptoms of Chagas’ disease?

Answer 10

• Acute stage
  
  • mild typical innate immune response
  • Romaña’s sign (swollen eyelid)
• Chronic disease:
  
  • continuous low-grade immune response (inflammatory)
  • Myocarditis
  • Megaesophagus
  • Megacolon

Question 11

What are classic symptoms of African Sleeping Sickness?

Answer 11

• First stage:
  
  • chancre at site of bite
  • fever
  • headache
  • swollen lymph nodes
  • muscle and joint aches
  • possibly rash or itchiness
• Second stage
  
  • somnolence
  • altered gait
  • tremors
  • cranial neuropathies
  • urinary incontinence
  • personality changes

Question 12

What are classic symptoms of Lymphatic filariasis?

Answer 12

• lymphedema
• elephantitis
• hydrocele

Question 13

What are classic symptoms of Toxoplasmosis?

Answer 13

• cerebral abscess(es)
• fever
• headache
• confusion
• seizures
• nausea
• poor coordination
• Ocular Toxoplasmosis: red, painful, photophobic eye, with some decrease in visual acuity
  
  • “headligh in the fog” lesion
  • chorioretinal scars
• stillbirth/miscarriage
• Abnormal head size of fetus
• infant that later develops vision loss, mental disability, and seizures

Question 14

What condition is treated with Ivermectin?

MOA?

Answer 14

Onchocerciasis (River Blindness)

MOA: binds to/blocks glutamate-gated chloride channels present on invertebrate muscle and nerve cells

(Often co-treat with Doxycycline)

Question 15

Ivermectin is recommended to treat *** to avoid ***.

Answer 15

to treat: Onchocerciasis

to avoid: 1. blindness and long term skin damage

2. continued transmission

Question 16

No pharmacological preventatives are available for Ochocerciasis, but how can it be prevented otherwise?

Answer 16

Control the vector!

• Larvicides to control the blackflies
• DEET application to prevent bites

Question 17

What condition can be treated Sodium stibogluconate and Meglumine antimoniate?

Answer 17

Leishmaniasis

Question 18

What are the three downfalls of using Sodium stibogluconate and Meglumine antimoniate for Leishmaniasis treatment?

Answer 18

1. Treatment failure is increasing
2. Resistance is increasing
3. Toxicity is increasing

(IM injection only)

Question 19

What condition is treated with Miltefosine?

Answer 19

Leishmaniasis

(But HIGH toxicity)

Question 20

What condition can be treated with Liposomal Amphotericin B?

Answer 20

Visceral Leishmaniasis