Characteristics and Transmission
Organisms that survive in or on other "host" organisms, such as lice, worms, or leeches.
What are parasites?
Single-celled eukaryotes that include amoeba, flagellates, ciliates, and apicomplexans
What are Protozoa?
A living carrier that transfers an infection
What is a vector?
This specimen type is used to test for intestinal parasites and can detect helminths, amebae, and other protozoa microscopically.
What is fecal (stool) specimens?
The proper name for external parasites.
Ectoparasites
These three general routes include contact with an infected host, contaminated water or food, and bug bites
What are the common ways parasites can be transmitted? (transmission methods acceptable)
This group of parasites includes spiders, ticks, lice, fleas, and mosquitoes
What are Arthropods?
Besides bug bites and contact with an infected host, parasites can be transmitted through these contaminated materials
What are contaminated water or food?
The thin smear is used to identify the type of parasite by analyzing this characteristic
What is morphology (parasite type)?
Entamoeba gingivalis is an example of an atrial protozoan found in this location
What is the mouth (oral cavity)?
Parasites that cause minimal symptoms are classified as this type, contrasting with pathogenic parasites
What are opportunistic parasites?
This common name refers to the Helminth class of trematodes
What are flukes?
This type of host harbors the larval or asexual stage of a parasite (e.g., humans for Plasmodium)
What is an intermediate host?
This specimen material (which includes biopsies, aspirates, or skin snips) is used to detect tissue parasites
What is biopsy material?
Malaria is caused by protozoa belonging to this genus
What is Plasmodium?
One of the 3 methods parasites can be detected
What are macroscopic, microscopic, or immunological tests?
The three main types of Helminth worms are trematodes (flukes), cestodes (tapeworms), and these...
What are nematodes (roundworms)?
This type of host maintains the parasite in the environment
What is a reservoir host?
The thick blood smear is preferred for screening because it contains many times the amount of blood as a thin smear
What is 10 to 30 times?
The infectious parasite Trypanosoma brucei is transmitted by tsetse flies and causes this condition
What is African Sleeping Sickness (or trypanosomiasis)?
2 of the factors that indicate the type of parasite
What are morphology, host specificity, geographical locations, or life cycles?
Helminths, or worms, can be found in the intestinal tract and sometimes infect other body locations (name one)
lungs, liver, brain, eyes, blood vessels, muscles, and skin
A vector that transfers parasites through contact rather than through infection is known by this specific term
What is a mechanical vector?
The natural production of these substances by the body to fight infectious parasites is useful for diagnostic tests
What are antibodies?
Naegleria, Balamuthia, and Schistosoma are specific examples of parasites found in this type of location within the body
What are tissue parasites?