Worms and Flukes

Question 1

what is Enterobius vermicularis commonly known as? how is it commonly contracted?

Answer 1

pinworm; transmitted via food contaminated with eggs

Question 2

what are the symptoms of Enterobius vermicularis and how is it diagnosed?

Answer 2

a patient with anal pruritis is given the Scotch tape test

Question 3

how is Enterobius vermicularis treated?

Answer 3

bendazoles or pyrantel pamoate

Question 4

what is the scientific name for giant roundworm and how is it transmitted?

Answer 4

Ascaris lumbricoides; transmitted via fecal-oral route

Question 5

what does Ascaris lumbricoides cause? how is it treated?

Answer 5

intestinal infection;

treated with bendazoles or pyrantel pamoate

Question 6

what does Strongyloides stercoralis cause

Answer 6

intestinal infection => vomitting, diarrhea, anemia

Question 7

how is strongyloides stercoralis transmitted? treated?

Answer 7

transmitted via larva in soil that penetrate skin; treated with ivermectin or albendazole

Question 8

what are Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus?

Answer 8

hookworms

Question 9

how do hookworms infect? how are they treated?

Answer 9

hookworm larvae penetrate the skin; treated with bendazoles or pyrantel pamoate

Question 10

what do hookworms cause?

Answer 10

intestinal infection; hookworms suck blood => anemia

Question 11

what does Dracunculus medinensis cause?

Answer 11

skin inflammation and ulceration

Question 12

how is Dracunculus medinensis transmitted and how is it treated?

Answer 12

transmitted via drinking water; treated via slow extraction of worm

Question 13

what does Onchocera volvulus cause?

Answer 13

hyperpigmented skin and river blindness;

sometimes reaction to microfilaria stage

Question 14

how is Onchocera volvulus transmitted? treated?

Answer 14

from female blackfly bite;

treated with ivermectin

Question 15

what does Loa loa cause?

Answer 15

swelling in skin, worm in conjunctiva

Question 16

how is Loa loa transmitted?

Answer 16

deer fly, horse fly, mango fly

Question 17

how is Loa loa treated?

Answer 17

diethylcarbamazepine

Question 18

what does Wuchereria bancrofti cause?

Answer 18

elephantiasis by blocking lymph vessels (lymphatic filariasis)

Question 19

how long after initial infection with Wuchereria bancrofti does the patient become symptomatic

Answer 19

9-12 months

Question 20

how is Wuchereria bancrofti transmitted

Answer 20

female mosquito

Question 21

how is Wuchereria bancrofti treated

Answer 21

diethylcarbamazepine

Question 22

what does toxocara canis cause

Answer 22

visceral larva migrans

Question 23

how is toxocara canis contracted? treated?

Answer 23

food contaminated with eggs;

treated with albendazole or mebendazole

Question 24

which nematodes enter via the skin?

which nematodes enter via digestion?

Answer 24

via skin: Strongyloides, Ancyclostoma, Necator

ingested: Enterobius, Ascaris, Toxocara

Question 25

name the three most common cestodes

Answer 25

taenia solium, diphylobothrium latum, echinococcus granulosus

Question 26

how is taenia solium contracted? | treated?

Answer 26

contracted via ingestion of larvae from undercooked pork or ingestion of eggs

Question 27

what does taenia solium cause?

Answer 27

larvae=> intestinal infection | eggs=> cysticercosis, neurocysticercosis

Question 28

what is taenia solium treated with

Answer 28

praziquantel (for intestinal infection) | praziquantel and bendazoles for neurocysticercosis

Question 29

where are the larvae of diphyllobothrium latum transmitted in

Answer 29

raw freshwater fish

Question 30

what does diphyllobothrium latum cause

Answer 30

vitamin B12 deficiency (tapeworm competes for B12 in the intestines) leading to macrocytic anemia

Question 31

how do you treat diphyllobothrium latum infection

Answer 31

praziquantel

Question 32

what does echinococcus granulosus cause

Answer 32

cysts in liver, anaphylaxis if antigens are released (surgeons preinject with ethanol to kill cysts before removal)

Question 33

how is echinococcus granulosus treated

Answer 33

bendazoles

Question 34

how is echinococcus granulosus transmitted

Answer 34

ingestion of eggs from dog feces

Question 35

what is the natural host for schistosoma

Answer 35

snail

Question 36

how is schistosoma transmitted

Answer 36

penetrates through the skin

Question 37

what does schistosoma cause

Answer 37

liver and spleen granulomas, fibrosis and inflammation | S. haematobium can lead to sq cell carcinoma of bladder

Question 38

how is schistosoma treated

Answer 38

praziquantel

Question 39

what does chlonorchis sinensis cause

Answer 39

biliary tract inflammation leading to pigmented gallstones; also associated with cholangiocarcinoma

Question 40

what are the three main trematodes (flukes) and how are they treated

Answer 40

schistosoma, chlonorchis sinensis, and paragonimus westermani; Tx=praziquantel

Question 41

what does paragonimus westermani cause

Answer 41

lung inflammation and secondary bacterial infection with hemoptysis

Question 42

how is chlonorchis sinensis transmitted

Answer 42

via undercooked fish

Question 43

how is paragonimus westermani transmitted

Answer 43

undercooked crab meat

Question 44

if your patient has bran cysts and or seizures what organism is at the top of the DDx?

Answer 44

taenia solium (neurocysticercosis)

Question 45

if your patient has liver cysts what is at the top of your DDx?

Answer 45

echinococcus granulosus

Question 46

if your patient has biliary tract disease or cholangiocarcinoma what is at the top of your DDx?

Answer 46

chlonorchis sinensis

Question 47

if your patient has a parasite and portal hypertension what is the likely culprit?

Answer 47

Schistosoma mansoni

Question 48

if your patient has a parasite and microcytic anemia what is the likely culprit?

Answer 48

Ancyclostoma or Necator

Question 49

if your patient has perianal pruritus what is the likely culprit?

Answer 49

pinworm (Enterobius vermicularis)