Protozoan Parasites Flashcards

1
Q

Giardia lamblia Presentation

A

GI infection: bloating, flatulence, foul-smelling and fatty diarrhea

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

Giardia lamblia Transmission and Treatment

A

Transmitted by cysts in water (“drinking from mountain stream”)
Treatment: metronidazole

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Entamoeba histolytica Presentation

A

GI infection: bloody diarrhea, liver abscess (“anchovy paste” exudate), RUQ pain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

Entamoeba histolytic Transmission and Treatment

A

Transmitted by cysts in the water

Treatment: metronidazole

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

Cryptosporidium Presentation

A

GI infection:
Severe diarrhea in AIDS patents
Mild disease (watery diarrhea) in immunocompetent

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

Cryptosporidium Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment

A

Transmitted by oocysts in water
Diagnosed by oocysts on acid-fast stain
Treated with nitazoxanide in immunocompetent hosts

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

Toxoplasma gondii Presentation

A

CNS infection: brain abscess in HIV patients

Congenital: classic triad of chorioretinitis, hydrocephalus, and intracranial calcifications

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

Toxoplasma gondii Transmission and Treatment

A

Transmitted with cysts in meat or oocysts in cat feces, but also crosses placenta
Treated with sulfadiazine + pyrimethamine

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

Naegleria fowleri Presentation

A

Rapidly fatal meningoencephalitis

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

Naegleria fowleri Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment

A

Transmitted by swimming in freshwater lakes (enters cribiform plate)
Diagnosed by amoebas in spinal fluid
Treated with amphotericin B (has been effective in a few survivors)

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

Trypanosoma brucei Presentation

A

African sleeping sickness: enlarged lymph nodes, recurring fever, somnolence, coma

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

Trypanosoma brucei Transmission and Treatment

A

Transmitted by the Tsetse fly (a painful bite)

Treated with suramin for blood borne disease and melarsoprol for CNS penetration

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

Plasmodium Presentation

A

Malaria: fever, headache, anemia, splenomegaly
Vivax/ovale: 48 hour cycle; dormant form (hyponozoite) in liver
Falciparum: severe; irregular fever patterns; parasitized RBCs occlude capillaries in brain, kidneys, lungs
Malariae: 72 hour cycle

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

Plasmodium Transmission and Diagnosis

A

Transmitted by the mosquito

Diagnosed with blood smear, trophozoite ring form within RBC, and schizont containing merozoites

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

Plasmodium Treatment

A

Begin with chloroquine which blocks Plasmodium heme polymerase
If resistant, use mefloquine or atovaquone/proguanil
If life-threatening, use IV quinidine (class Ia)
For vivax/ovale you must add primaquine for hypnozoite in liver

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

Babesia Presentation

A

Babesiosis: fever and hemolytic anemia

17
Q

Babesia Epidemiology, Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment

A

Predominantly in northeastern US
Transmitted by Ixodes tick (same as lyme disease)
Diagnosed with blood smear (see ring form “maltese cross”) or PCR
Treated with atovaquone + azithromycin

18
Q

Trypanosoma cruzi Presentation and Epidemiology.

A

Chagas disease: dilated cardiomyopathy, megacolon, megaesophagus
Predominantly in South America

19
Q

Trypanosoma cruzi Transmission and Treatment

A

Transmitted by the reduvvid bug (kissing bug) in its feces (painless bite)
Treated with benznidazole or nifurtimox

20
Q

Leishmania donovani Presentation

A

Visceral leishmaniasis: spiking fevers, hepatosplenomegaly, pancytopenia

21
Q

Leishmania donovani Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment

A

Transmitted by the sandfly

Diagnosed with macrophages containing amastigotes Treatment: amphotericin B

22
Q

Trichomonas vaginalis Presentation

A

Vaginitis: foul-smelling, greenish discharge; itching and burning.

23
Q

Trichomonas vaginalis Transmission, Diagnosis, and Treatment

A

STD
Diagnosed with motile trophozoites and LM and also “strawberry cervix”
Treated with metronidazole