BIRAO, JOHN CARLO P.

BSN 2-A3

HES032 (Microbiology and Parasitology)

STUDENT ACTIVITY SHEET BS NURSING / SECOND YEAR
Session # 15

LESSON TITLE: Parasitic Infections of Humans Materials:

Book, pen, notebook, and paper
LEARNING OUTCOMES:
At the end of the lesson, the nursing student can:
1. Differentiate between the following: ectoparasites versus Reference:
endoparasites; definitive hosts versus intermediate hosts;
Engelkirk, P., & Engelkirk, J. (2015). Burton's
facultative parasites versus obligate parasites; and th
Microbiology for the Health and Sciences. 10
mechanical vectors versus biologic vectors;
ed., Philadelphia: Lipincott Williams & Wilkins
2. Classify a particular parasitic infection as a protozoal or
helminth disease;
3. Categorize various parasitic infections by organ body
system (e.g., respiratory system, gastrointestinal tract,
circulatory system): and,
4. Correlate a particular parasitic infection with its major
characteristics, causative agent, reservoir(s), and mode(s)
of transmission.

Daily Productivity Tip:

Choose your BEST TIME to study. Try waking up at 3:00 AM tomorrow and recall what you have learned
today.
LESSON PREVIEW / REVIEW (5 minutes)
Instruction: Complete the table below.

PCP Histoplasmosis Thrush

Pathogens:
Reservoirs and Mode of
Transmission

Great! Let us begin with today’s session.

MAIN LESSON (50 minutes)

TERMS TO LOOK UP:
Although a number of parasites can cause serious and life-
threatening disease, particularly in the compromised Parasitism
patient, many organisms reach a ―status quo‖ with the host Ectoparasites
and do no damage. Disease may not be the ultimate Endoparasites
outcome of infection. Depending on the parasite, one or Facultative parasites
multiple body sites may be infected, resulting in no or few Obligate parasites
symptoms or, at the other extreme, death. Reservoir host
Immediate host
Parasitology is a branch of microbiology that deals with the Definitive host
` study of parasites. This includes parasitic protozoa, Accidental host
helminths, and arthropods. In this session, we will mainly Zoonosis
focus on the significant parasitic protozoa. Mechanical vectors
Biological vectors

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Protozoa
 Most are unicellular but some are multicellular. Protozoa are classified taxonomically by their mode of locomotion.
Pseudopodia (amoebas), flagella (flagellates), cilia (ciliates), and some are nonmotile.
 Life cycle of protozoan: dormant stage – cyst, oocysts, spore, motile and dividing stage – trophozoite.
Protozoal Infections of the Skin
Parasitic Infection Causative agent
Leishmaniasis Caused by a flagellated protozoa
in the genus Leishmania:
Cutaneous (Oriental sore)
Mucocutaneous (Mucosal, Espundia, L. tropica : Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
Brazilienses) L. brazilienses : Mucocutaneous
Visceral (Kala-Azar) Leishmaniasis
L. donovani : Visceral Leishmaniasis
Nonmotile stage: Amastigote
Motile stage: Promastigote
Protozoal Infections of the Eye
Parasitic Infection Causative agent
Amoebic conjunctivitis and Acanthamoeba spp. – either a
keratoconjunctivitis free-living protozoa or a parasitic
existence.
Can lead to loss of vision.
Toxoplasmosis Toxoplasma gondii – an
intracellular sprozoan.
Protozoal Infections of the Gastrointestinal Tract
Parasitic Infection Causative agent
Amoebiasis (Amoebic dysentery) Entamoeba histolytica
Dormant and infective stage: cyst
Motile and dividing stage: trophozoite
Balantidiasis Balantidium coli – the only ciliate
that cause disease to humans
Cryptosporidiosis Cryptosporidium parvum – a
coccidial protozoan.
Cyclosporiasis Cyclospora cayetanensis – a
coccidial protozoan.
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Education (Department of Medical Technology)
Reservoir and Mode of
Transmission
Reservoir: infected humans,
domestic dogs, wild animals
MOT: zoonosis and is usually
transmitted via the bite of an
infected sand fly.
Transmission by blood transfusion
and person-to-person contact have
been reported.
Reservoir and Mode of
Transmission
MOT: The amoebas enter the
eye from amoeba-contaminated
waters.
MOT: Ingestion of undercooked
meat containing cyst form of the
parasite or oocyst shed in the
feces of infected cats.
Reservoir and Mode of
Transmission
MOT: Ingestion of fecally
contaminated water or food
containing cysts.
Reservoir: pigs, anything
contaminated with pig feces
MOT: Ingestion of fecally
contaminated food and water
contaning cysts of B.coli from
reservoir including pigs.
Reservoir: humans, cattle, domestic
animals
MOT: Fecal– oral transmission; from
person to person, from animal to
person, or via ingestion of
contaminated water or food.
Reservoir: fecally contaminated
water
MOT: primarily waterborne, but
outbreaks have involved
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 contaminated raspberries, basil, and
lettuce.

Giardiasis Giardia lamblia – a flagellated Reservoir: infected man, beaver,

protozoan. wild, and domestic animals.
Patients experienced steatorrhea in MOT: Fecal-oral route
stool, and flatus or rotten egg odor
gas produced.

Protozoal Infections of the Genitourinary Tract

Parasitic Infection Causative agent Reservoir and Mode of

Trichomoniasis
A sexually transmitted disease
affecting both men and women.
Trichomonas vaginalis – a
flagellate
this organism exists only in the fragile
trophozoite stage (there is no cyst
stage), it cannot survive very long
outside the human body.
Transmission
Reservoir: infected humans
MOT: direct contact with vaginal and
urethral discharges of infected people
during sexual intercourse.

Protozoal Infections of the Circulatory System

Parasitic Infection Causative agent Reservoir and Mode of

Trypanosomiasis Caused by hemoflagellates:
African Sleeping Sickness
West African Sleeping Sickness T. brucie ssp. gambiense
East African Sleeping Sickness T. brucie ssp. rhodesiense
American Sleeping Sickness T. cruzi
Chagas’ Disease
Babesiosis Babesia microti, Babesia spp. –
an intraerythrocytic sporozoan.
Malaria Caused by an intraerythrocytic
sporozoan.
Benign Tertian Plasmodium vivax (most common
in the Philippines)
Ovale Fever Plasmodium ovale
Blackwater Fever Plasmodium falciparum (the deadliest)
Quartan Malaria Plasmodium malariae
Drug-resistant strains of P. vivax and
P. falciparum are common
Transmission
Reservoir: Infected humans (T.
brucei ssp. gambiense), and wild
animals and domestic cattle (T. brucei
ssp. rhodesiense).
MOT: Tsetse flies become infected
when they ingest blood that contains
the trypanosomes. Humans become
infected when mature trypanosomes
(trypomastigotes) are injected into the
bloodstream as the infected tsetse
flies take blood meals.
Reservoir: domestic and wild
animals (e.g. dogs, cats, rodents)
MOT: Reduviid bugs become infected
when they ingest blood with
trypanosomes. Feces of reduviid
bugs are rubbed into bite wound or
eye. In addition, it can be transmitted
through blood transfusion and organ
transplantion.
Reservoir: rodents
MOT: tick bite and rarely by blood
transfusion.
Reservoir: Infected humans and
mosquitoes
MOT: Most human infections occur as
a result of injection of sporozoites into
the bloodstream by an infected
female Anopheles mosquito while
taking a blood meal. Infection may
also occur as a result of blood
transfusion or the use of blood-
contaminated needles and syringes.

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Protozoal Infections of the Central Nervous System

Parasitic Infection Causative agent Reservoir and Mode of

Primary Amoebic
Meningoencephalitis (PAM)
Transmission
Naegleria fowleri – an Reservoir: water and soil
amoeboflagellate MOT: The amoebas usually enter the
nasal passages of a person diving
and/or swimming in ameba-
contaminated water, such as ponds,
lakes, ―the old swimming hole,‖
thermal springs, hot tubs, spas, and
public swimming pools. After the
amoebas colonize the nasal tissues,
they invade the brain and meninges
by traveling along the olfactory
nerves.

Helminths

Helminths (parasitic worms) are divided into roundworms (nematodes) and flatworms. Flatworms are further divided into
tapeworms (cestodes) and flukes (trematodes). The stages of the typical helminth life cycle are the egg, the larva, and the
adult worm. Helminth infections are usually diagnosed by observing (a) whole worms or segments of worms in clinical
specimens—most often, fecal specimens, or (b) larvae or eggs in stained or unstained clinical specimens.

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 If I am beyond stools, look for me in:

BLOOD – Microfilariae (larvae) except Onchocerca (skin)

SPUTUM – Paragonimus westermani (eggs)
URINE – Enterobius vermicularis (eggs)
Schistosoma haematobium (eggs)
MUSCLES – Trichinella spiralis (larvae)
BILE FLUID – Echinococcus granulosus (larvae)

Think and Learn: Why is it important to know the life cycle of the parasites?

TAKE A QUICK BREAK. BREATHE SLOWLY. WRITE FREELY.

CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING (30 minutes)

You will answer and rationalize this by yourself. This will be recorded as your quiz. One (1) point will be given to correct
answer and another one (1) point for the correct ratio. Superimpositions or erasures in you answer/ratio is not allowed.
You are given 30 minutes for this activity (20 points):

1. Humans develop malaria after the injection of Plasmodium into the bloodstream by an
infected female Anopheles mosquito when she takes a blood meal.
a. male and female gametocytes
b. schizonts
c. sporozoites
d. trophozoites
ANSWER: C
RATIO: CHOICE C IS THE BEST ANSWER

2. What is the deadliest malarial plasmodium?

a. P. malariae
b. P. falciparum
c. P. vivax
d. P. ovale
ANSWER: B
RATIO: THE PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM IS THE DEADLIEST MALARIAL PLASMODIUM

3. Which of the following protozoal diseases is not transmitted via an arthropod vector?
a. African trypanosomiasis
b. American trypanosomiasis
c. babesiosis

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d. giardiasis
ANSWER: D
RATIO: OPTION D IS THE BEST ANSWER

4. Which of the following protozoal diseases is least likely to be transmitted via blood transfusion?
a. American trypanosomiasis
b. babesiosis
c. malaria
d. trichomoniasis
ANSWER: D
RATIO: TRICHOMONIASIS CAN BE TRANSMITTED VIA BLOOD TRANSFUSION

5. Which of the following protozoal diseases is least likely to be transmitted via an infected food handler who fails to wash
his or her hands after using the bathroom?
a. amebiasis
b. cryptosporidiosis
c. giardiasis
d. toxoplasmosis
ANSWER: D
RATIO: TOXOPLASMOSIS CAN BE TRANSMITTED FROM EATING RAW MEAT AND UNABLE TO WASH HANDS AFTER HANDLING FOOD AND USING THE BATHROOM

6. You are visiting a friend whose parents raise pigs. Which of the following diseases are you most likely to acquire by
drinking well water at their farm?
a. amebiasis
b. balantidiasis
c. cryptosporidiosis
d. giardiasis
ANSWER: B
RATIO: BALANTIDIASIS CAN BE ACQUIRED BY DRINKING WELL WATER AT THEIR FARM NEAR A PIG FARM OR ANY ANIMAL FARM

7. You are working on a cattle ranch. Which of the following diseases are you most apt to acquire as you perform your
duties at the ranch?
a. amebiasis
b. balantidiasis
c. cryptosporidiosis
d. giardiasis
ANSWER: C
RATIO: THE RANCH IS PRONE TO CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS

8. Which of the following protozoal diseases are you most likely to acquire by eating a rare hamburger?
a. amebiasis
b. balantidiasis
c. giardiasis
d. toxoplasmosis
ANSWER: D
RATIO: WHENEVER A FOOD IS NOT PROPERLY HANDLED AND COOKED, TOXOPLASMOSIS COULD BE THE RISK

9. Which of the following associations is incorrect?

a. African trypanosomiasis - tsetse fly
b. amebiasis - fecally contaminated water

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c. Chagas’ disease - mosquito
d. toxoplasmosis - cats
ANSWER: C
RATIO: OPTION C HAS THE CORRECT SEQUENCE AMONG ALL OTHER CHOICES

10. Which of the following is caused by an ameboflagellate named N. fowleri?

a. African trypanosomiasis
b. giardiasis
c. malaria
d. PAM
ANSWER: D
RATIO: PAM CAN BE ACQUIRED WHICH IS CAUSED BY AN AMEBOFLAGELLATE

RATIONALIZATION ACTIVITY (THIS WILL BE DONE DURING THE FACE TO FACE INTERACTION)
The instructor will now rationalize the answers to the students. You can now ask questions and debate among yourselves.
Write the correct answer and correct/additional ratio in the space provided.

1. ANSWER:
RATIO:

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 9. ANSWER:
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10. ANSWER:
RATIO:
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LESSON WRAP-UP (5 minutes)

You will now mark (encircle) the session you have finished today in the tracker below. This is simply a visual to help you
track how much work you have accomplished and how much work there is left to do.

You are done with the session! Let’s track your progress.

Exit Ticket: One-minute paper

a. How do you feel about today’s session? __ Happy __ Satisfied __ Sad __ Confused

b. What question(s) do you have as we end this session?

Good Job! You are finally done with HES 032 Microbiology and Parasitology.

2022 Revision by:

HES 032 MICROBIOLOGY-PARASITOLOGY MODULE

Claire Mae Caval, RMT
HES 032 Microbiology and Parasitology Instructor
Southwestern University – Phinma Education
College of Medical Technology

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