PHINMA CAGAYAN DE ORO COLLEGE

MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE

CLINICAL PARASITOLOGY

Fundamentals of Parasitology

Parasitology- study of parasites, its _____and their relationships.

What is a Parasite?
__________________________________________________________________

❑ Risk Factors
o Unsanitary Food handling/preparation
o Contaminated water for drinking
o Immunocompromised conditions resulting from disease states or poor nutrition
o Blood transfusion and organ transplantation
o Foreign travel to endemic regions of world
❑ Disease Characteristics
o Diarrhea
o Abdominal Pain
o Intestinal Obstruction, weight loss and bloating
o Organ involvement with ulcers, lesions, and abscesses
o Blood and tissue parasites can cause_______________________________________.
❑ Treatment
o ______________the use of anthelminthic drugs in individual
o ______________ effect of a drug against an infective agent in ideal experimental
conditions
o ______________measure of the effect of a drug against an infective agent.
o ______________the number of previously positive subjects to be found to be negative
on examination of a specimen at a set time after deworming.
❑ Eradication vs. Elimination
o _____________permanent reduction to zero of the worldwide incidence of infection
cause by specific agent.
o _____________a reduction to zero of the incidences of a specified disease in a defined
geographic area as a result of deliberate efforts; continued intervention or surveillance
measure are still required.
❑ TO BE OBSERVED:
o Protozoa, Ova, larva, Adult forms
❑ Specimen type:
o Stool (_____________)-Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba, Ascaris, Enterobius, etc.
o Tissue- Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, and Leishmania
o Urine- Schistosoma and Trichomonas
o Sputum- Ascaris and Strongyloides
o Blood- Plasmodium, Leishmania, Trypanosoma, and microfilariae
❑ Must remember:
o Samples should be free of___________________.
o At least__________of fecal sample.
o Stool should be free of_________
o ____________trophozoites
o ____________Ova and cysts
❑ Stool preservatives:
o Stools specimens should not be_________.
o Unpreserved specimens should not be____________________________________
o ___________________- for concentration procedures
o ___________________-for permanent stained smears
o ___________________- for both concentration techniques and permanent stained
smears
o Fecal concentration methods:
➢ Formalin-ethyl acetate sedimentation
➢ Zinc sulfate flotation
➢ Sheather sugar flotation- generally recommended for _________________
o Various stains are used for microscopic detection of stool, tissue, and blood parasites.
➢ Saline wet mounts are quick and easy to perform and will allow trophozoite motility
____________
➢ Iodine wet mounts are useful for the detection of larvae, ova, and protozoan cysts in
stool samples.
➢ Permanent stained smears are used to enhance parasite morphology and to allow for
future study. Stained fecal smears are important in the identification of
________________
❑ Collection Methods
o The cellophane (Scotch) tape method is used to collect
____________________________________________
o __________________ is used to obtain duodenal contents for parasitic examination.
o ___________________is used to collect colon material.

❑ Diagnostics Tests
o ___________________Used to identify____________________________________
o ___________________Used to diagnose___________________________________
o ___________________Used to identify____________________________________
o DNA probes and ________________________ are used to diagnose parasite infections.
1. Host-Parasite Relationships
a) Symbiosis- relationship between 2__________organisms
i. Commensalism- symbiotic relationship wherein 1 benefit and the other is
_____________.
ii. Parasitism- symbiotic relationship wherein 1 benefit and the other is harmed.
o Parasite= organism that benefits
o Host= organism that is _______.

Examples: ____________, ________________, _______________

iii. Mutualism- relationship wherein both organisms benefit from each other.

2. Host:
a) Final Host-Definitive Host
o Host that harbors the______________parasite
o Where______________reproduction occurs
o _____________is usually the definitive host
b) Intermediate Host
o Host that harbors the__________parasite
o Where______________reproduction occurs
o Examples: _________, ___________, _____________, _____________
c) Vectors- responsible for transmission_____________________.
d) Accidental Host- host that harbors a parasite that usually does not_____infect it.
e) Paratenic Host- AKA: ________________Host
o Host that harbor parasite that do not develop to further to later stages
o Examples: ________________________________________________
f) Dead-end Host- AKA: _______________Host
o Host that does not anymore allow the life cycle of the parasite to ________.
o Example: ______________.
g) Reservoir Host- animal host other than the definitive hosts that can allow the
continuation of the life cycle and become additional sources of__________________.
o Examples: ________________________________________________

3. Parasite:
a) Obligate- parasite that always requires a host for it to survive
Ex.___________________________________________________________
b) Facultative- it has a free-living and a parasitic phase
Ex: ___________________________________________
c) Commensal- non-pathogenic; does not cause disease
Ex: ___________________________________________
Parasites according to habitat/mode of development
a) Ectoparasite- parasite living_____________the host
Infestation- presence of an ectoparasite
Ex: ___________________________________________
 b) Endoparasite- parasite living_____________the host
Infection- presence of an endoparasite
Ex: ___________________________________________
c) Spurious Parasite- parasite not living in its natural host
d) Erratic Parasite- parasite not living in its________________
e) Accidental Parasite/Incidental Parasite- parasite that does not live in its usual host
Parasites according to egg laying capacity
a) Oviparous- lays_________________eggs
Example: ______________________________
b) Ovoviviparous-lays______________eggs
Example: _______________________________
c) Larviparous-lays___________
Example: _______________________________
Parasites according sexes (reproductive organs)
a) Monocious-_____________________________________________________________
b) Dioecious-______________________________________________________________
c) Parthenogenetic_________________________________________________________

4. Parasite Stages
In Helminthes
a) Adult-
b) Larva
c) Egg/Ovum

In Protozoans
a) Trophozoite-vegetative form
b) Cyst-____________________

5. Modes of Transmission:
a) Soil Transmitted helminthes
o Hookworms, _____________, Trichuris____________
b) Vector Borne
o Filarial worms, Plasmodium, Babesia, ______________
c) Food Borne
o _________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
d) Water Borne
o _________________________________________________________________
e) Vertical Transmission
o _________________________________________________________________
f) Transmammary
o _________________________________________________________________
g) Inhalation
o _________________________________________________________________
h) Intimate Contact
o ______________________________________________________________
 HELMINTHES

Helminthes- Worms
o Nematodes
o Trematodes
o Cestodes

Nematoda- Roundworms
Generalities:
o Roundworms; Bilateral symmetrical parasites
o Non-segmented, cylindrical in shape
o Complete Digestive System
o No Circulatory System
o ____________________
o Sensory Organs:
➢ Amphids-Anterior sensory Organs
➢ Phasmids- Posterior sensory Organs
❖ Phasmid Nematodes-With Phasmids
❖ Aphasmid Nematodes-
________________________________________________
 Ascaris lumbricoides Trichuris trichiura Enterobius vermicularis
Common
Name

Final Host Man

Habitat

Infective
Stage
MOT

Life Cycle 1. Ingestion 1. Ingestion of_______________ 1. Adult worms in

of_______________ 2. Larval hatch in-________ colon
3. Larva matures into adults 2. Adult worms
2. Larval hatch in- reproduce and
in_________ 4. Adult worms reproduce and produce eggs
produce- 3. __________migrates
3. __________________ 5. Eggs are released in the feces to perianal area to
and Embryonated in soil oviposit eggs and
4. Larva is swallowed female dies
back into the small 4. _____ingest
intestine embryonated eggs,
hatch in small
5. Larva mature to intestine to release
become- larva
5. Larva mature in
6. Adult worms reproduce colon to
and produce- become___________

7. Eggs are released in the

feces and Embryonated
in soil

Adult Stage Anterior Portion:
Posterior Portion:
o Males: curved
posterior; spicule
o Females: pointed
posterior
Egg production:20 to
200,000 eggs
Anterior Portion: 3/5th Fine/ Anterior Portion:
Hair Like
Posterior:2/5th Robust
Presence of____________ Shaped esophagus
Males: curved posterior; spicule
Females: pointed posterior Posterior:
Males: curved posterior
Females: pointed posterior
Egg Unfertilized Egg Barrel/Lemon/Football/Japanese D-shaped/Lopsided
o Glycogen Layer Lantern Embryonated after
o Lecithin Coarse o ______________________ Hours
Granules
Fertilized Egg o ______________________
o ___________________
___________________ o ______________________
o ___________________
Embryonated Egg- with
Larva
o _________________

Disease Ascariasis
Manifestation o
o
o

Laboratory Stool Exam Stool Exam Perianal Swab

Diagnosis
Treatment Mebendazole Albendazole Albendazole

Animal Ascarids

1. Toxocara canis
Common Name:
2. Toxocara cati
Common Name:
MOT:
Pathology:

Capillaria philippinensis

Common Name:
Final Host:
Natural Host:
Habitat:
Intermediate Host:
Infective Stage:
MOT:
Life Cycle:
1. Larval stages in raw or undercooked_________________________________________
2. Larval stage mature to become _____________________________________________
3. 1st Generation Females are_________________________________________________
4. Adults reproduce to produce_______________________________________________
5. Typical Eggs are released in the feces; _______________________________________
6. Eggs are released in the water and___________________________________________
 7. Embryonated eggs are ingested by___________________________________________

Egg
1. Typical eggs: _________________
_________________
2. Atypical eggs: _________________

Disease Manifestation
o Mystery Disease/Intestinal Capillariasis
➢ Severe Diarrhea, Abdominal Pain, _________________
❖ Death may occur if left untreated
❖ Protein Losing Enteropathy, Electrolyte Loss
➢ Autoinfection can occur
Laboratory Tests
o Stool Exam
Treatment
o Mebendazole

Strongyloides stercoralis

Common Name:
Final Host:
Habitat:
Infective Stage:
MOT:
Life Cycle:
1. Adult free-living worms in the environment reproduce to produce eggs
2. Eggs hatch to release________________
3. When the environment in unfavorable to_________________transforms into a
_______________
4. Filariform larva penetrates skins of humans and undergoes _______________________
5. Larva matures in the small intestine to become__________________
6. Female adult worms undergo_____________and release eggs
7. Eggs easily hatch in the lumen of the _________________
8. ____________________are released and are released in the feces.
9. Some rhabditiform larva may undergo__________________
L1 Larva:
L3 Larva:
Eggs: (Rarely seen)
Disease Manifestation:
o Larva penetrating Skin:
o Migrating Larva:
o Adult Worms:

Laboratory Diagnosis: _____________________________________________________

Treatment: __________________________________________________________