Parasites

    Cards (9)

    • A parasite is an organism that lives in or on an organism of another species, and benefits by deriving nutrients at the others expense
    • Endoparasites
      Helminths
      • Cestodes
      • Trematodes
      • Nematodes
    • ectoparasites
      fleas
      • itching, allergies, blood loss
      mites
      • itching and inflammation
      lice
      • itching and inflammation
      ticks
      • blood loss, local reactions, disease vector
      flies
      • tissue damage
    • nematodes
      roundworms
      • resides in intestines, skin and respiratory tract
      cattle lungworm
      • Coughing, pneumonia and death
      large roundworm
      • Parascaris equorum in horses
      • Intestinal blockage
    • trematodes
      flatworms
      • tissue damage in liver and reproductive tract
      liver fluke
      • chronic anaemia in sheep resulting in sudden death
    • cestodes
      tapeworms
      • meat borne diseases
    • protozoa = single celled eukaryotic organisms, either free living or parasitic, which feed on organic matter such as other microorganisms or organic tissues and debri
    • Protozoa
      Coccidiosis
      • In chickens
      • Inflammation and bleeding of intestines
      • Diarrhoea and death
      Babesia
      • In cattle
      • Vector borne, anemia, red urine
    • Diagnosis
      Blood tests for parasites and antibodies
      Post-mortem
      Coprological - testing faeces for parasites