ACTIVITY 9

 HOST-
PARASITE
INFECTION
WMSU BAGUIO, NATHALIE MAE B.
TATEL, DEASSEREI C.
BS BIOLOGY 4C
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Introduction
Parasitism is a symbiotic relationship in which one organism,
the parasite, causes harm to another, the host, on which the
parasite relies for habitat and resource acquisition.

Objectives
At the end of this activity, students should be able to:
1. Discuss host-parasite interaction
2. Determine the effect of parasites on its host in terms of
morphometric indices

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Result and Discussion
Table 1. Host-Parasites Interaction
Column 1 Column 2 Column 3
Host – Parasite Obligate Vs. Justification
Interaction Facultative
Coxiella burnetii Facultative Coxiella burnetii can live
and Goats outside of the host, which
is the goat, but once
inside, it will infect the
goat and perform parasitic
activities such as Q fever.
Phasmarhabditis Facultative Phasmarhabditis Endoparasitism
hermaphrodita hermaphrodita are
and slugs capable of growing on
slugs, wherein they
harmed and kill the
slugs.
Ichneumonid Facultative It sometimes kills the Ectoparasitism
wasps and spiders spider; and becomes
food for the baby bug.
other times, it allows
the spider to live for a
few weeks. The sting
captures and paralyzes
spiders.
Common cuckoos and Obligate The cuckoo benefits
great reed warbler from the relationship,
while the warbler is
harmed.
Column 4 Column 5 Column 6 Column 7
Ecto- , Justification Necrotrophic Vs. Justification
Endo- , Biotrophic Parasites
Meso-
Parasitism
Endoparasitism C. Burnetii bacteria can Necrotrophic Coxiella burnetii can live
be found inside the in and outside the host
Parasites for weeks or months, or it
host’s cell and will grow
and reproduce there. can live inside the host
and harm or kill the goat.
infected goat's birth
products (placenta,
amniotic fluid), urine,
feces, and milk.
Phasmarhabditis Necrotrophic Phasmarhabditis
hermaphrodita live in Parasites hermaphrodita can be
the slugs wherein they found is slug feces,
enter into the hold and wherein they harm and
they are feeding and kill the slugs.
developing in it.
Ichneumonid Necrotrophic They lay their eggs
Wasps lays it egg on the right inside the host
outside or skin of the
Parasites insect's eggs or larvae.
spider. Where it Their larvae begin to
transmits an infectious develop here, and the
agent of wasp to the host eventually dies.
spider
Ectoparasitism Common cuckoos live
outside of the host wherein
Biotrophic Parasites The cuckoo is a brood
parasite, which means
it lays in egg to the other it lays its eggs in great
nest. forcing the unwitting reed wabler nests.
"foster parents" to hatch
Cuckoos are expert
and raise the cuckoo's
chicks. tricksters:
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Table 2. Samples with and without Parasites
Sample Measurements for Samples with Measurements for Samples without
no. Parasites Parasites

FL SL BD HL W FL SL BD HL W

1 20.8 cm 17.8 cm 6 cm 5.8 cm 150g 13.8 cm 12.5 cm 3.7 cm 4.2 cm 40g

2 19 cm 17.5 cm 6 cm 5.5 cm 150g 13.6 cm 12.1 cm 3.5 cm 3.7 cm 38g

3 16.7 cm 14.6 cm 4.7 cm 5 cm 85g 13.7 cm 12.3 cm 3.9 cm 4.0 cm 41g

4 17.5 cm 14.5 cm 4.5 cm 5 cm 80g 13.4 cm 11.6 cm 3.8 cm 3.9 cm 37g

5 17 cm 14.5 cm 4.8 cm 4.8 cm 75g 13.7 cm 12.4 cm 4.0 cm 4.1 cm 40g

6 16 cm 14 cm 4.5 cm 4.8 cm 80g 13.0 cm 11.7 cm 3.8 cm 4.0 cm 37g

7 15.8 cm 14 cm 4.3 cm 4.5 cm 65g 13.7 cm 12.2 cm 4.0 cm 4.0 cm 42g

8 15.6 cm 13.7 cm 4.4 cm 4.5 cm 60g 13.8 cm 12.5 cm 4.1 cm 4.3 cm 40g

9 - - - - - 12.4 cm 11.1 cm 3.3 cm 3.8 cm 33g

10 - - - - - 12.3 cm 11.2 cm 3.5 cm 3.8 cm 30g

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Table 3. Body measurement of Table 4. Mean body measurement of Selar
Selar crumenophthalmus crumenophthalmus
Sampl Measurements for Samples with Measurements for Samples M With Without
e
no. Parasites without E Parasites Parasites
Parasites A
FL / W SL / W BD / W HL / W FL / W SL / W BD / W HL / W N

1 0.14 0.12 0.04 0.04 0.35 0.31 0.09 0.11 FL / W 0.20 0.36
2 0.13 0.12 0.04 0.04 0.36 0.32 0.09 0.10
SL / W 0.18 0.32
3 0.20 0.17 0.06 0.06 0.33 0.3 0.10 0.10
4 0.22 0.18 0.06 0.06 0.36 0.31 0.10 0.11 BD / W 0.06 0.1
5 0.23 0.19 0.06 0.06 0.34 0.31 0.1 0.10 HD / W 0.06 0.11
6 0.2 0.18 0.06 0.06 0.35 0.32 0.10 0.11
7 0.24 0.22 0.07 0.07 0.33 0.29 0.10 0.10
8 0.26 0.23 0.07 0.08 0.35 0.31 0.10 0.11
9 - - - - 0.38 0.34 0.1 0.12
1 - - - - 0.41 0.37 0.12 0.13
0

Guide Questions (Refer to Table 4)

Which among the proportion comparisons are
higher?

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Table 5. Mean table of Capra hircus samples
  Quarterly Live Weight # of live births per Oldest  
Milk Males birthing Serviceable longest disease-free
Production period Age period (weeks)

Healthy 1.3 34.31 2.5 10.75 29.63

Infected 0.81 30.23 1.5 9.63 21.13

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Figure 1. Line graph of Healthy and Infected Capra hircus
CONCLUSION
Success in parasitism is the result of a variety of mechanisms evolved
by parasitic species to confront and evade the responses of their hosts,
together with their capacity to adapt the metabolic processes of their hosts
for their own benefit. Interactions between hosts and their parasites play a
central role in their evolution and greatly influence their biology and
transmission.

Parasites that target host reproductive systems strike an optimal

balance of resource consumption in hosts. The parasite gleans a nutrient-
rich source of energy for their growth and reproduction, while taxing a host
resource that is nonvital for host survival. Parasites can also exploit
alterations in host reproductive behavior to further increase parasite
fitness. Many alterations of host behavior benefit the parasite, and seem to
constitute a parasite strategy for increased survival and reproduction.