LEC 1_Intro to Parasitology

• What is endolimax nana?

  Endolimax nana is an example of an amoeba that can be acquired from unclean water or undercooked meat. It is known as an intestinal amoeba.
• What is a carrier?

  A carrier harbors a pathogen without manifesting any signs and symptoms. They are asymptomatic since they show no signs or symptoms.
• What is infestation?

  Infestation refers to the presence of ectoparasites on a host.
• What is infection?

  Infection refers to the establishment of the infective agent in the host.
• What is exposure?

  Exposure refers to the process of inoculating an infective agent.
• What is a scavenger?


  A scavenger devours those dead of natural causes or takes the living prey of a predator. They are essential for parasitology as they play a role in the life cycle of parasites.
• What is prey?

  Prey refers to the victim being attacked by a predator or another organism. It does not necessarily result in death.
• What is a predator?

  A predator is an organism that attacks another living animal or organism, not necessarily killing them.
• What is autoinfection?

  Autoinfection occurs when an infected individual becomes their own direct source of infection.
• What is pre-patent/biological incubation period?

  The pre-patent/biological incubation period refers to the period between infection and the evidence of infection. It is the time it takes for a parasite to develop to its mature or infective form.
• How does specimen collection and handling affect the reliability of parasite examination?

  Specimen collection and handling are essential for reliable parasite examination. The type of specimen collected, how and when it is obtained, and proper precautions taken during collection significantly impact the accuracy of laboratory analysis.
• What is the most common symptom for intestinal infections caused by parasites?


  Diarrhea
• What is the significance of clinical diagnosis in parasitic infections?

  Clinical diagnosis is important when patients live in endemic areas or are familiar with the manifestations of infection. However, it is not diagnostically specific, and scientific knowledge and clinical experience play a crucial role in accurate diagnosis.
• What are intestinal parasites?

  Intestinal parasites are parasites that primarily infect the intestines. They are commonly encountered in parasitology.
• The severity, duration, and intensity of infection help determine the appropriate treatment approach. Factors such as efficacy, availability, toxicity, and acceptability of treatment are considered to ensure effective management.
• What is the incubation/clinical incubation period?


  The incubation/clinical incubation period refers to the period between infection and the evidence of symptoms.
• What are pathogens?


  Pathogens are organisms that are harmful and cause mechanical injury to their host.
• Modes of reproduction of protozoa

  Asexual multiplication by binary fission followed by cytoplasmic separation into 2 essentially equal parts, one for each daughter nucleus.
• How are cure rates determined in the context of parasitic infections?

  Cure rates are determined by examining previously positive subjects for egg negativity after deworming. Egg reduction rate is used to assess the fall in egg counts after treatment.
• Common treatment of parasitic infections

  • Deworming
  • Selective treatment
  • Targeted treatment
  • Universal treatment
• What is delusional parasitosis?


  Mental disorder that exhibits features of obsessive compulsive neurosis and is characterized by delusions of infections or infestation with bizarre parasites.
• Samples for parasitic examination

  • Stool
  • Urine
  • Blood
  • Serum
  • Tissue biopsy
• Specimens containing dirt, barium, bismuth, antidiarrheal compounds, antibiotics, or oil are unsatisfactory for parasite examination.
• What is zoonosis?


  Zoonosis refers to diseases of animals that are transmissible to humans. It involves the susceptibility of the host species to a parasite.\
• What is exposure in parasitology?

  Exposure refers to the process of inoculating an infective agent.
• What is the difference between efficacy and effectiveness in the context of drug treatment against infective agents?

  Efficacy refers to the effect of a drug against an infective agent in ideal experimental conditions, while effectiveness measures the effect in a particular host living in a specific environment with various determinants.
• What is parasite ecology?

  Parasite ecology deals with the study of parasites and their interactions with their hosts and environment, as well as the life cycle of parasites.
• What is a facultative parasite?


  A facultative parasite is a parasite that may exist in a free-living state or become parasitic when the need arises.
• What are some examples of parasites that are less discriminating in their choice of hosts?

   Chinese liver fluke, Oriental liver fluke, and Trichina worm 
• What is the function of the contractile vacuole in protozoa?


  The contractile vacuole serves as an osmoregulator in protozoa. It collects excess fluid waste from the cell and expels it, maintaining the proper balance of water and solutes within the cell.
• What is drug resistance?


  Drug resistance refers to the genetically transmitted loss of susceptibility to a drug in a worm population that was previously sensitive to the appropriate therapeutic dose.
• What is an obligate/strict parasite?


  An obligate/strict parasite is a parasite that cannot exist without a host. It needs a host to complete its development and propagate its species.
• Ectoparasite vs endoparasite

  An ectoparasite is a parasite that lives outside the body of the host, while an endoparasite lives inside the body of the host.
• What is the difference between endemic and epidemic diseases?

  Endemic diseases maintain a steady, moderate level in a population, while epidemic diseases experience a sudden rise in incidence or an outbreak.
• What is egg reduction rate?

  Egg reduction rate refers to the percentage fall in egg counts after deworming. It is used to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment and assess the impact on parasite populations.
• How should aspirates from abscesses or lesions be handled for examination?

  Aspirates from abscesses or lesions should be examined as soon as possible. If direct examination is delayed, the specimen should be placed in a 10% formalin solution to preserve it.
• 2 types of Commensalism


  Mutualism & parasitism
• Mutualism vs Parasitism

  Mutualism: association between two organisms is beneficial to both, are metabolically dependent on each other, and cannot survive in the absence of the other. Parasitism: parasite would harm the host to a certain degree or host would be injured.
• What factors should be considered in the treatment, prevention, and control of parasitic infections?

  Factors such as severity, duration, intensity and probability of reinfection, efficacy, availability, toxicity, acceptability of treatment, coverage, drug resistance, morbidity control, information-education-communication (IEC), environmental management, sanitation, and personal hygiene are considered in the treatment, prevention, and control of parasitic infections.
• Branches of Parasitology

  • Medical
  • Veterinary
  • Structural
  • Quantitative
  • Parasite Ecology
  • Conservation Biology of Parasite
  • Taxonomy and Phylogenetics