RVT - Protazoa

Question 1

What phyla do Cystoisospora, Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium belong to?

Answer 1

Apicomplexa

Question 2

What phyla does Balantidium coli belong to?

Answer 2

Ciliophora

Question 3

What is the common name for Cystoisospora?

Answer 3

Coccidia

Question 4

What coccidia will we typically find in dogs?

Answer 4

Isospora canis

Isospora ohioensis

Question 5

What cystoisospora will we typically find in cats?

Answer 5

Isospora felis

Isospora rivolta

Question 6

What is the PPP for isospora?

Answer 6

1 week

Question 7

What are the clinical signs of a coccidia infection?

Answer 7

Watery diarrhea sometimes with blood.

Puppies and kittens can become dehydrated and die

Question 8

What is the mode of infection for coccidia?

Answer 8

Dog or cat ingests sporulated oocyst. 8 sporozoites are released and invade intestinal epithelium.

Question 9

What phyla do Giardia and Tritrichomonas belong to?

Answer 9

Sarcomastigorophora

Question 10

What condition is Toxoplasma gondii linked to in humans?

Answer 10

Recklessness/Inhibition

Question 11

Where is Toxoplasma gondii found in its definitive host?

Answer 11

Small intestines of the cat

Question 12

What is the intermediate host of Toxoplasma gondii?

Answer 12

Many warm blooded vertebrates

Question 13

What are 4 ways a human could be infected by Toxoplasma gondii?

Answer 13

Fecal / Oral
Undercooked meat
Transplacentally
Transmammary ( questionable)

Question 14

What is the suggested treatment for Toxoplasma gondii?

Answer 14

Clindamycin

Question 15

How is T. gondii diagnosed?

Answer 15

PCR
IgG and Igm titres
Note- Vial and centrifugal methods not reliable

Question 16

How many days before Toxoplasma gondii oocysts become infective?

Answer 16

1-5 days

Question 17

What is the leading cause for abortion in small ruminants?

Answer 17

Toxoplasma gondii

Question 18

What is the most common definitive host for Crytosporidium?

Answer 18

Calves ( but can also be found in pigs and humans)

Question 19

Which species of Crytoporidium is zoonotic to humans?

Answer 19

C. felis and C. canis ( they are not seen much)

Question 20

Where is Cryptosporidium found in its host?

Answer 20

Small intestines

Question 21

What are signs of Cryptosporidium infection?

Answer 21

Profuse watery diarrhea

Question 22

What is the life cycle of Crytosporidium?

Answer 22

Oocyst ingested by host, 8 sporozoites released in small intestine. They undergo 2 types of reproduction ( sexual and asexual) The sporulated cyst leave the cells most of which pass out with feces. Some will excyst, invade cells and begin lifecycle again.

Question 23

How is Cryptosporidium diagnosed?

Answer 23

OVC puddle technique
PCR
Acid fast stain of direct fecal smear
Fecal flotation ( may be hard to see oocysts)

Question 24

How is Cryptosporidium treated?

Answer 24

None

Symptomatically

Question 25

There are various genotypes of Giardia. What do assemblages A and B infect?

Answer 25

Humans

Question 26

Assemblages C and D of Giardia affect what species?

Answer 26

Dogs

Question 27

What Giardia assemblage affects cats?

Answer 27

F

Question 28

What Giardia assemblage affects horses, cattle , sheep and goats?

Answer 28

E

Question 29

Can cats and dogs give Giardia to humans?

Answer 29

No. But humans can give the A assemblage of Giardia to their cats and dogs.

Question 30

What is the PPP for Giardia?

Answer 30

Like most protazoa, the PPP is quick | 1 week

Question 31

What are clinical signs of a Giardia infection?

Answer 31

Chronic soft stools | Mucus in stool

Question 32

What is the mode of infection of Giardia?

Answer 32

Ingestion of oocyst | Cyst released trophozoite in small intestine

Question 33

What protozoan cyst can survive in the environment for an extended period of time?

Answer 33

Giardia

Question 34

How is Giardia diagnosed?

Answer 34

Direct fecal smear Elisa PCR Centrifugal flotation with sugar solution or zinc sulfate

Question 35

How is a Giardia infection treated?

Answer 35

Metronidazole | Fenbendazole

Question 36

What parasite is transmitted by ingestion of infected muscle?

Answer 36

Sarcocystis

Question 37

What protozoa found in dogs is a common cause of spontaneous abortion in barn animals?

Answer 37

Neospora caninum

Question 38

What stage of Neospora infection is the rapidly dividing stage?

Answer 38

Tachyozoites

Question 39

What is the slower dividing stage of Neospora caninum?

Answer 39

Bradyzoites

Question 40

Tritrichomonus blagburni causes chronic diarrhea in what species?

Answer 40

Cat

Question 41

When is Tritrichomonus blagburni usually seen in cats and where does it reside in its host?

Answer 41

0-24 months ( young cats and kittens) | Colon and cecum

Question 42

What is infection with Cystoisospora called?

Answer 42

Coccidia

Question 43

What are the clinical signs of Coccidian infection?

Answer 43

Watery diarrhea sometimes with blood

Question 44

How are Cystoisospora diagnosed?

Answer 44

Standard vial or centrifugal flotation

Question 45

Which protozoan infection is diagnosed using the OVC puddle technique?

Answer 45

Cryptosporidium

Question 46

What are the clinical signs of Neospora caninum infection in its definitive host?

Answer 46

Puppies can have hind limb paralysis, cervical weakness and dysphagia. Adult dogs may have CNS signs or polymyositis

Question 47

How is Neospora caninum diagnosed?

Answer 47

Elisa ( for antibodies) | PCR