Introduction to medical parasitol

ogy

Selected by
D .Anas M .Elnazeer
 Introduction to Parasitology

Parasitology = science that deals with

the study of the dependence of
animal (parasite) on another /
organism who lives at other’s
expense without making any
useful return.
= applied only to animal parasites w/c
belong to :
A) Protozoology - study of single-celled
animal (prtozoa)
B) Helminthology- study of worms &
wormlike organism
( roundworms, fluke, tapeworm)
C) Arthropology - study of jointed -
legged organism like the
arthropods
( flea, mite, mosquito, etc. )
Parasite
= organism that lives on or
within another organism for
survival
= usually cannot exist as free –
living
= dependent on the host for
existence.
Types:
1) Obligate = organism which are
completely dependent on
the host for existence.
= cannot exist without a
host  die (nematodes)
2) Facultative / Opportunistic = when
a parasite is capable of living
even without a host .
= can exist as free – living or as
parasite
Ex. Nematodes (S. stercoralis)
 3) Amphizoic = are free–living
parasite
that can colonize &
invade the
brain and other
sites.

4) Ectoparasite = organism that lives

outside of the surface of

the
host.
5) Endoparasite = parasites that harbors /
live inside the body of the
host.
= invade deep and internal organs
of the body. (amoeba)
Infection – if produce considerable
damage.
6) Spurious / Coprozoic = are foreign
specie of parasite that has
passed through the GIT
w/out sign & symptoms of its
presence.
7. Incidental - parasite the establishes
itself in a host in which it does
not ordinarily live.
8. Permanent - parasite that remains on
or in the body of the host from
early life until maturity or for its
entire life . ( ascaris )
9. Pathogenic - parasite that causes
injury to the hoist by its
mechanical, traumatic or toxic
activities
Host = are organism were the parasite
derive or depends their
sustenance or nourishment.
= bigger or larger than a parasite
Types:
a) Definitive = where the parasite
lives & complete their life cycle
(final host-human-trypanosome)
= also harbors the mature /adult/
sexual /stage of the parasite
b) Intermediate = where the larval
form/asexual stage of parasite
develop in another animal.
Ex: Snail – schistosoma
c) Reservoir host = other animal that
harbors the same
parasite.
= ensures continuity of
the parasites life
cycle.
= act as additional source
of human infection.
Ex. Pig - T. solium
Cat - T. gondii
d) Paratenic host - one which carries the
infective stage of parasite in
an arrested state
( no continuity of life cycle )
Host – Parasite Relationship:
Types:
A) Symbiosis = close association bet.
2 organism(host and parasite)
where either can not exist
independently
= parasite gets something from
host & vice – versa
B) Mutualism = association bet. 2
organism where both are
benefited to the situation &
can exist independently if
separated.
C) Commensalism = an association of
2 organism where one is
benefited, the other is
unaffected.
= parasites derives benefit from
the host.
D) Parasitism = an association bet. 2
organism where one is
dependent upon another for
existence.
Vectors: = are biological system that
transmit parasite
Types:
1) Mechanical = transmit a parasite
without being a host
= transmit P to host , parasite stay
in the host but does not
undergo development .
= not essential to the life cycle of
the parasite.
Ex. mosquito , flies
2) Biological = serves both as a
vector and a host for
the development stage
of the parasite

Ex. Anopheles mosq. (malaria)

Zoonosis:
= disease of animals transmittable
to man.
Types:
1) Euzoonosis
= parasitic infection common
to man and reservoir host
Ex. Tapeworm

2) Parazoonosis
= if man is an infrequent /
accidental host.
Ex. B. coli
3) Anthropozoonosis / Anthroponosis
= infection acquired by man from
other vertebrates.
Ex. T. canis / T. cati

4) Amphixenosis
= if disease is common to man &
other vertebrates.

5) Zooanthroponosis
= a human disease w/c is
transmitted to animals.
Infection = terms applied to invasion
of the body by pathogenic
organism and the reaction of
the body to their presence
and to the toxins generated
by them.
Types:
1) Autoinfection
= infection acquired by an individual
resulting from their own direct
source of exposure.
2) Reinfection
= when a person is infected w/ a
parasite  after months of cure 
again gets reinfected with the
same specie of parasite.
3) Superinfection
= when a host is harboring more
than one parasite at a time.
Source of exposure to parasitic infection
( transmission )
1) Contaminated water and soil
= most common
= utilized by most parasite
Ex:A) Contaminated H2O
Protozoa = Giardia
= Chilomastix
Nematodes = Ascaris
= Trichiuris
= Enterobius
B.Contaminated Soil (Ex: Hookworm,)
S. stercoralis
= if walk barefoot  infective stage
larva of parasite  penetrate skin
 goes to venous circulation 
heart  lungs  alveoli
( air sac )  rupture  bronchioles
 bronchi  trachea  esophagus
 swallowed  stomach  lower
portion of the intestine
( most grow in S. I. )  becomes
adult worm  start production
damage to the body.
2) Food contg. immature infective
stage of the parasite.

Ex: Protozoa = Amoeba (E. histolytica)

Giardia
Nematodes = T. spiralis
3) Blood – sucking insects as vectors.
a) Mechanical = Ex: amoeba
( infec. stage ) contained the fly.
b) Biological = P develop – blood
sucking insect & inoculate
infective stage to man.

Ex: Plasmodium ( malaria )

4) Domestic or Wild Animals harboring
the parasite

Ex: Diphyllidium caninum

= infective stage contained dog
flea  accidental ingestion
of the dog flea  dog flea
stomach  liberation 
adult worm intestine
EX. E. vermicularis infection (Nematode)

= ingestion of infect. stage  egg P

become adult in intestine 
adult worm mate-intestine
gravid F migrate to peri – anal
area during nighttime  crawl
and prod pruritus scratch 
destroying gravid female worms
 disrupt/ disintegrate 
egg – environment  readily
infective  nasopharynx
Portal of Entry:
= site where infective agent gain
entrance to the body of host.
= portal of entry includes:

1) mouth = most common

A. ingestion of infective stage
Ex. Cyst /embryonated egg
B. intimate oral kissing
Ex. E. gingivalis \T. tenax
2) Skin = penetration of infective
stage larva to skin
a) Directly
Ex: Cercaria of schistosoma
Filariform larva of hookworm
Filariform larva of S. stercoralis

b) Indirectly = through insect vectors

Ex: Infective stage larva of
trypanosoma & leishmania
infective stage of plasmodium.
3) Airborne = parasite inhaled  nose 
nasopharynx  intestine
Ex: E. vermicularis
A. lumbricoides
4) Transplacental = parasite from mother
 transmitted to the fetus in utero
= only parasite w/c prod. congenital
anomaly
Ex. T. gondii
5) Sexual = acquired through sexual
contact
Ex: T. vaginalis
Incubation Period:
= the time between the entrance
of the organism and the
appearance of the first signs
& symptoms of the dse.

Exposure  invasion  infection

 dse.
 Nomeclature of animal parasite causing
human disease.
= all plants and animals must have names
in order to be recognized.
= classification based according to
International code of Zoological
nomeclature.
= To avoid confusion:
binomial scientific names are assigned
to each parasite w/c are latin or greek
derive.
A. Genus name
= begin with capital letter
B. Specie = small letter
Geographical distribution of parasites:
= more or less have cosmopolitan
distribution.
= survive most – tropical region
Factors that plays a role in the distribution
of parasitic diseases.
I. Endemicity of Parasite
A) presence & habits of a suitable
host
B) easy escape of the parasite
from host ( MOT)
C) environmental conditions for
the survival of parasite
outside the host
II. Condition that affect the spread /
distribution of parasites:
1) through irrigation projects
2) use of night soil
3) inadequate individual and community
sanitation
4) low standard of living
5) ignorance
6) migration of population
 (impt. factor spread of parasitic)
disease throughout the world
Distribution of parasitic disease can be:

1) Endemic = a disease w/ a low

incidence but is constantly present
in a given community

2) Hyperendemic = a disease w/ a high

incidence constantly present a in
given community
3) Epidemic = there is a sharp rise w/
high morbidity of the disease w/c
is occasionally present the
community
4) Sporadic = parasitic disease that
appears occasionally in a
community.
5) Pandemic = spread of the disease
involves the whole area of the
world
Diagnosis of parasitic infection:
= 2 methods of approach:
1) Classical dx
= easy when pat. lives in an
endemic area & M.D is
familiar with manifestation
of infection.
= problem if disease is uncommon in
the community or with migrants in
the community.
= investigate where pat. come from
2) Laboratory dx
= purpose is to make specific dx
A) collect proper specimen like
stool, urine, blood, sputum,
aspirate from body orifices,
tissue scrappings
B) know how & when specimen
is to be obtained
C) precautionary measures
taken to have satisfactory
specimen for exam.
1) specimen bottle should be clean &
sterile
2) E. histolytica specimen should be
examined right away to see
trophozoite stage of parasite
(in few minute trophozoite will)
die

3) Specimen collected should be

examined by skilled lab. personnel
who know how parasite look like
(morphology)
Other laboratory method used:

1) X – ray
2) Serology
3) Biopsy
4) Animal Pathogenicity test
Treatment:
= easy & simple if you have an
accurate & specific laboratory
diagnosis
= in treating parasitic infection
consider the ff:
A) Severity of infection
B) Duration of infection
C) Intensity & probability of
reinfection
D) Efficacy of the tx
E) Availability of the drug
F) Toxicity of the drug
Prevention & Control against parasitic
infection:
1) Treat infection in order to reduce
source of exposure
2) Teaching and training individual
about personal hygiene
3) Proper waste disposal
4) Comprehensive control on vehicles
of infection
5) Complete destruction of vectors and
control of reservoir hosts