GENERAL

PARASITOLOGY
KAYSE ABTIDOON
CLASSIFICATION OF PARASITES OF MEDICAL IMPORTANCE:
1.HELMINTHS
(a)Nematodes:
(i) Intestinal nematodes;
1. Ascaris lumbricoides (Round worms)
2. Enterobius vermicularis (threadworm)
3. Trichuris trichiura(whip worm)
4 . Hookworms
 (II) TISSUE NEMATODES;

7. Wuchereria bancrofti
8. Brugia malayi
9. Loa loa
10. Onchocerca volvulus
11. Mansonella species
12. Drancunculus medinensis (Guinea worm)
(b)Cestodes: (Tapeworms)
13. T. saginata
14 . T. solium,
15. Echinococcus granulosus
16. Vampirolepis nana
(c)Trematodes: (Flukes)
18. S. haematobium
19. S. mansoni,
20. S. japonicum,
21. S. mekongi
22. S. Intercalatum
23. Fasciolopsis buski
24. F. hepatica
25. Paragonimus westermanii
2. PROTOZOA;
(a) AMOEBAE –Entamoeba histolytica.
(b) FLAGELLATES –Giardia lamblia,Trichomonas vaginalis,Trypanosoma species and
Leishmania species.
(c) CILIATES -Balantidium coli.
(d) COCCIDIA -(grouped into two)
(a)Blood and tissue coccidia – Plasmodium species and Toxoplasma gondii.
(b)Intestinal coccidia – Isospora belli
 HELMINTHS
 They are also called worms.
 They are classified into flat worms (platyhelminths) and cylindrical worms(Nemathelminths).
 The flat worms are classified into two(2): Trematodes and Cestodes.
 The cylindrical worms are also classified as nematodes.
 1. NEMATODES
Characteristics of Nematodes
 They are non-segmented cylindrical worms that taper at both ends.
 They posses a complete alimentary canal with two openings(oral and anal) The
mouth is surrounded by lips or papillae.
 They posses a shiny cuticle(skin) which may be smooth, ridged or spined.
 They have separate sexes with the male being smaller than the female and usually
curved ventrally.
 In the male, there is a testis at the distal end of a long tube which terminates in copulatory organs.
 Female posses one or two tubular ovaries which lead to a uterus.
 Females either produces larvae(viviparous) or lay eggs (oviparous)
 Nematodes that infects human beings live either in the tissue or in the intestinal tract.Tissue nematodes are
transmitted mainly by insects vectors while most of the intestinal nematodes are spread in faecal polluted
soils.
 A) INTESTINAL NEMATODES

(a) ASCARIS LUMBRICOIDES.

• Common name-Large intestinal roundworm.
• Disease-Ascariasis (roundworm infection)
• Distribution-It has a world wide distribution. It is common where there is
inadequate sanitation and where untreated human faeces are used as
fertilizers(night soil)
• Transmission-By faecal pollution of the soil. A person becomes infected by
ingesting infective eggs in contaminated food or from hands that have been
faecally contaminated.
 The mature worms live free in the intestine.
 Fertilized female worms produce many eggs per day.
 The eggs can remain viable in the soil and dust for several years. These factors contribute to the wide
spread and often heavy Ascaris infections which can be found especially among children.
 The worm can live 1-2 years in their host.
 A.lumbricoides has a direct life cycle:
LIFE CYCLE
 Man become infected following ingestion of infective eggs in contaminated hands or food.
 On reaching the duodenum,the eggs shell is dissolved and the larvae hatches.
 The larvae bores through the intestinal mucosa and are carried by the portal circulation to the liver and pass
via the right heart,enter the lungs where they increase in size.This is called heart-lung migration.
 They then crawl up the bronchi,trachea,larynx.Here,they cause an irritation stimulating the patient to cough.
 The larvae are then swallowed back into the intestines.Here they moult and develop into adult worms.
 Adult males and females undergo sexual maturation in 6-10 weeks.They mate and the female produces
a large number of eggs which are passed in stool.This occurs about 2 months after infection.
 The eggs in soil develop into infective larvae(within 30-40 days)
 The larvae does not hatch until the egg is swallowed.
PREVIOUS ASSIGNMENT RESEARCH

genus is a lower classification level that lies below family and above species,
whereas
species is the fundamental category of closely related organisms that lies below
the genus.

Entamoeba histolytica
ON THE DAY ASSIGNMENT

• Oviparous Organisms are those that lay Eggs which can be either Fertilised or
unFertilised.
• Viviparous animals give birth to offspring body
Oviparous Animals Viviparous Animals

High as nourishment and care is

Less. This is because egg laying occurs in an external
provided inside the womb of the
environment
mother

Some examples

Fish, amphibians, insects, birds, reptiles Humans, dogs, elephants, cats etc
 LABORATORY DIAGNOSIS
1. Finding A. lumbricoides eggs in faeces.
• Concentration techniques are rarely required.
2. Identifying A. lumbricoides worms expelled through the anus or mouth.
A. lumbricoides worms
 Eggs of A. lumbricoides
 Usually fertilized eggs are found in faeces but occasionally infertile eggs are produced by unfertilized
female worms.
(a) FERTILIZED EGG
(b) Decorticated egg:
(c) INFERTILE EGG
 CLINICAL FEATURES AND PATHOLOGY
 During their migration,Ascaris larvae causes inflammatory and hypersensitive reactions including
pneumonia -like symptoms,attacks of coughing and bronchial asthma.
 Abdominal pain,nausea and vomiting due to developing and mature worms in the intestines.
 Intestinal muscle may become damaged and absorption impaired.
 Ascaris lumbricoides infection in children affect gastrointestinal function.
 Protein digestion or absorption is impared,the absorption of fat decreases and lactase activity in the small
intestine is reduced.
 Deficient of vitamin A in infected children and low serum albumin levels.
 Impairment of physical and intellectual development due to frequent exposure to infection.
 Obstruction or perforation of the intestine and occasionally obstruction of the bile duct which can lead to
obstructive jaundice and indigestion.
 Liver abscesses and appendicitis caused by migrating worms. Worms can pass through the anus or be vomited.
SUMMERY CLINICAL FEATURES

• Asymptomatic
• Ascaris pneumonia
• Malnutrition
PREVENTION AND CONTROL MEASURES OF ASCARIASIS
1.Preventing soil becoming faecally polluted by:
 avoiding the use of untreated human faeces as fertilizers.
 Treating infected individuals as part of a control programme, especially children.
2.Preventing infection by:
 Washing hands before eating.
 Avoiding eating uncooked vegetables, green salads and fruits which may be contaminated with faeces
containing Ascaris eggs.
 THANK YOU

Research Assignment

• Explain and describe what is deferent viviparous and oviparous?