PRINCIPLES OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE PRACTICE 1 BSMLS

PARASITOLOGY

BASIC TERMINOLOGIES
PARASITE
 Any organism that depends on another
organism for shelter and nourishment

MAJOR GROUPS OF MEDICALLY IMPORTANT

PARASITES

AMOEBA
HOST  Entamoeba histolytica
 Organism that supports the parasite o Only pathogenic amoeba in the GIT
 Definitive Host o Disease:
- Harbors the adult stage of the o amoebic colitis- abdominal
parasite cramping, anorexia, fatigue and
- undergoes sexual reproduction diarrhea
 Intermediate Host o intestinal amoebiasis- manifests as
- Harbors the larval form dysentery

o MODE OF TRANSMISSION: infective

cysts passed in the stool/ feces
o DIAGNOSIS: stool exam

MODE OF TRANSMISSION
 how a parasite successfully enters a
susceptible host

FLAGELLATES
 With whip-like structures
 All demonstrate trophozoites
 Not all are capable of encystation
PATHOGENIC PARASITES o Trichomonas vaginalis
 Disease-causing o T. hominis
o T. tenax
NONPATHOGENIC PARASITES o D. fragilis
 Do not harm the host
 Thrive in the small intestine
ENDOPARASITE * hemoflagellates
 Found inside the body of a host - Trypanosoma spp.
 Infection - Leishmania spp.

ECTOPARASITE Giardia lamblia

 Thrive externally on a host  DISEASE: Giardiasis - acute
 Infestation diarrhea, abdominal pain and
weight loss
 MODE OF TRANSMISSION:
ingestion of contaminated food
and water
 DIAGNOSIS: stool exam
• Trophozoite = symmetrical,
EOSINOPHILIA “old man’s face with
 Increase in eosinophil count glasses”
 Charcot-Leyden crystals • Infective cyst = ovoidal
and quadrinucleated
PRINCIPLES OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE PRACTICE 1 BSMLS
PARASITOLOGY

CILIATES NEMATODES
 Balantidium coli  Phylum Nemathelminthes
o DISEASE: Balantidiasis o Roundworms
- bloody, mucoid, diarrheic stool o Adult worms: tapered, cylindrical
samples bodies with an esophagus and
o MODE OF TRANSMISSION: longitudinal muscles
ingestion of contaminated food o Dioecious
or water
o DIAGNOSIS: stool exam

o DIAGNOSIS: adult, larvae or egg

morphology
MALARIA o MODE OF TRANSMISSION: ingestion
 Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. of infective embryonated egg,
ovale, P. knowlesi, P. malariae inhalation, larval skin penetration,
o DEFINITIVE HOST: Mosquito ingestion of intermediate hosts like
(Anopheles spp.) snail or fish
o INTERMEDIATE HOST: HUMANS
 Ascaris lumbricoides
o Largest nematode in human
intestinal tract
o DISEASE: Ascariasis
- bowel obstruction and
pancreatitis
o MODE OF TRANSMISSION: eggs
(infective stage)
o High fever, anemia, jaundice,
shaking, chills and flu-like illness
o Paroxysm
 48 hrs = tertian malaria
 36-48 hrs = subtertian
malaria
 72 hrs = quartan malaria
o MODE OF TRANSMISSION: bite of
infected female Anopheles
mosquito
 Sporozoite = infective
stage
o DIAGNOSIS: Giemsa-stained thick
and thin smear
 rapid diagnostic test and
molecular approach
PRINCIPLES OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE PRACTICE 1 BSMLS
PARASITOLOGY

TREMATODES  DISEASE: abdominal pain,

 Flukes or flukeworm vomiting, loss of appetite, weight
 Two orders: monogenea and digenea loss and mild diarrhea.
 Flat, leaf-like and hermaphroditic :neurocysticercosis
(except Schistosoma spp.)  MODE OF TRANSMISSION:
 2 Intermediate Hosts: ingestion of cysticercus from
1. snail undercooked meat
2. varies (plants, snails or crabs)  DIAGNOSIS: stool exam, species
identification through analysis of
worm segments

 MODE OF TRANSMISSION: ingestion of

Metacercaria ( infective stage)
 DIAGNOSIS: stool exam
 Inhabits vital organs like: intestines, liver
and lungs

 Schistosoma spp.
 DISEASE:
o Schistosomiasis- bloody
diarrhea, abdominal pain,
hepatosplenomegaly, intestinal
lesion and blockage
 MODE OF TRANSMISSION: skin DIAGNOSTIC PARASITOLOGY
penetration of cercaria (infective A. Stool examination: fecalysis
stage) 1. Collection of Fecal Specimens
 DIAGNOSIS: stool and urine exam,  Thumb-sized stool
blood sample (rare) specimen (2-4 grams)
 Placed in a dry, clean,
wide-mouth container with
tight-fitting lid
 Label the stool container
properly.
 Sample must be free from
any contamination
 Defer for 1 week if patient
CESTODES took anti-diarrheal
 Dwell in small intestines medication, radio-opaque
 Parts: scolex (head), neck and several compounds, or oily
proglottids (segment) laxatives
 Abdominal pain, dyspepsia, anorexia,  Stool specimen shouldn’t
nausea and diarrhea be frozen
 Unpreserved specimen
shouldn’t be stored at
room temp for more than 2
hours
 10% formalin = preserves
stool specimen
2. Method of Stool Examination
 Gross examination
 Taenia saginata (Beef Tapeworm) and  Stool color
 Taenia solium (Pork Tapeworm)  Brown – normal
 Bright Red Blood –
bleeding
PRINCIPLES OF MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE PRACTICE 1 BSMLS
PARASITOLOGY

haemorrhoids/ lower
GIT
 Bloody mucus (loose or
liquid) – suggestive of
ulceration in large
intestines
 Occult blood = more C. Collection of scotch tape swab
likely a sign of other GIT  Useful in cases of Enterobiasis =
disorder intense itchiness in perianal area
3. Stool consistency  Swab
 Well-formed, semi- o Pre-cut scotch tape
formed, mushy or liquid o Tongue depressor
 Predictor for possible o Glass slide
stages of parasite in the
sample
 Normal pH: 7 – 7.5

 Microscopic examination
 For identification of
helminth eggs and
larvae as well as
protozoan’s cyst and
trophozoites
 Parasite micrometry:
use a calibrated ocular
micrometer
 Wet mounts
o Direct wet mount D. Collection via vaginal swabs
- Fresh very soft or liquid stool  Diagnosis of Trichomonas
sample vaginalis infection
- Detect motile trophozoites  BD AffirmTM VPIII Ambient
- 1 or 2 drops of water stool  glass Temperature Transport System
slide  cover slip  microscope (ATTS)
- Formed stool-emulsify (Normal - Molecular system for
saline solution/Iodine) detection of vaginitis
o Saline wet mount  Speculum without lubricant is used
- Normal saline solution (NSS) =  Mucosa is swabbed
fecal emulsion
- Preserves protozoan trophozoites
o Iodine wet method
- Lugol’s iodine
- Highlights the details of protozoan
cysts

B. Collection of blood specimens

 Detects Plasmodium, filarial
worms, Trypanosoma and
Leishmania
 Definite time of collection =
parasites exhibit periodicity
 Palmar surface of the distal
segment of the third (middle) or
fourth (ring) finger