KENYA METHODIST UNIVERSITY

END OF 1ST TRIMESTER 2016 (FT) EXAMINATION

SCHOOL : MEDICINE & HEALTH SCIENCES

DEPARTMENT : MICROBIOLOGY & PARASITOLOGY

UNIT CODE : MLSC 409/ HSCI 201

UNIT TITLE : MEDICAL PARASITOLOGY

TIME : 3 HOURS

Instructions: Answer all questions in section A and any two questions in

section B.

SECTION A: 40 MARKS

Question One (16 marks)

1) In a few words, describe the meaning of a medical parasite. (1 mark)

2) What is an opportunistic parasite? (1 mark)
3) What is an ectoparasite) (1 mark)
4) How do mutual parasites differ from commensals? (1 marks)
5) How does an intermediate host differ from a definitive host? (2 marks)
6) How does a paratenic host differ from a reservoir host? (2 marks)
7) How do organisms in the class mastigophora (flagellates) differ from those in
the class (amoebae)? (2 marks)
8) How do trematodes differ from cestodes? (1 mark)

Page 1 of 3
9) Give 2 examples each of asexual and sexual reproduction in Protozoa.
(4
marks)
10) What is an arthropod? (1 mark)

Question Two. (6 marks)

Name the 4 species of Plasmodia. Which 2 of these can form liver hypnozoites?

Question Three. (6 marks)

Name the 3 main classes of arthropods that are important in medical

entomology, giving an example of each and how the three can be separated
from each other.

Question Four. (5 marks)

What are the two sub-species of African Trypanosomiasis and in which general
area of Africa is each prevalent? Which one causes acute symptoms?

Question Five. (2 marks)

What is the vector of Trypanosoma cruzi and how does it transmit the disease?

Question Six. (5 marks)

Describe in a few words how:

a) Male mosquitoes can be separated from female mosquitoes
b) Culex mosquitoes can be separated from Anopheles mosquitoes
c) A characteristic separating the larvae of Anopheles from those of Culex
d) A characteristic separating the Aedes mosquitoes from Culex
e) Glossina can be isolated from other related insects

Page 2 of 3
SECTION B: 30 MARKS

Answer any two questions

Question One (15 marks)

Give a description of the development of Plasmodium falciparum in the human

host and mention the current method used to protect mothers and their
infants from infection.

Question Two (15 marks)

Describe the control of Schistosomiasis with reference to both the definitive

and intermediate hosts. What is the drug of choice for chemotherapy of the
disease?

Question Three (15 marks)

Describe the procedure for taking thin and thick blood smears, preparation of
the slides and staining for blood stream protozoans.

Page 3 of 3