Medical Parasitology Exam
1/Updated 2024/Questions and
Answers/A+Rated
Parasite - -Live organism living in or on and having some metabolic
dependence on another organism (host)
-Endoparasite - -Lives inside host
-Ectoparasite - -Lives on or in the skin
-Facultative parasite - -Usually free-living, but can become parasitic if
accidentally enters host
-Mutualism - -Relationship in which both partners benefit from
association (termites and their gut protozoa)
-Commensalism - -One species benefits and the other neither benefits
nor is harmed
(Entamoeba gingivalis in human mouth)
-Parasitism - -Parasite living at the expense of and often causing harm
to the host (hookworm)
-Definitive host - -Host in which the parasite reaches sexual or
reproductive maturity
-Intermediate host - -Host in which the immature or larval form usually
resides or in which the parasite undergoes asexual reproduction. This
type of host is necessary for the parasites' development (Plasmodium,
mosquito=definitive host, human=intermediate)
-Accidental (incidental) host - -Host that accidentally harbors an
organism that is not ordinarily parasitic in the particular species. May or
may not cause symptoms
-Usually a short-lived infection
-Transport (paratenic) host - -Nonessential host in the life cycle of a
parasite that can harbor and maintain immature stages of a parasite
-Can serve to bridge intermediate and definitive host
-Reservoir host - --A 'living source' of the parasite
-Not the host of primary concern
-A host that serves as a source of infection and potential reinfection of
humans and as a means of sustaining a parasite when it is not infecting
humans
, -Eukaryotic parasites - --Protozoa
-Helminths
-Arthropods
-Protozoa - -Single-celled microorganisms that can inhabit many human
tissues, such as the blood, intestine, and reproductive systems
-Malaria (plasmodium), giardia, toxoplasma gondii
-Toxoplasmosis - -Mostly acquired from cats or by ingesting
undercooked meats
-Toxoplasmosis in adults - --Chorioretinitis
-Hepatitis
-Lymphadenitis
-Brain lesions
-Toxoplasmosis in children - -Hydrocephalus
-Vector for Trypanosomiasis - --Sleeping sickness
-Tsetse fly
-Vector for American Trypanosomiasis - --Chagas disease
-Kissing bug
-Helminths - -Worm-like invertebrates that lack a vertebral column
-Includes nematodes, flatworms (cestodes, trematodes)
-Nematodes (roundworms) - -Type of helminth, non-segmented worm
-Among most abundant life form on earth
-Many inhabit human intestine
-Most can be visualized without a microscope
-Pinworm, hookworm, ascarids
-Ascarids - -Type of roundworm infection
-One of 3 major soil-transmitted helminths (STHs)
-Other 2 are whipworms and hookworms
-Referred to as the "Unholy Trinity"
-Wuchereria bancrofti - -elephantiasis
-Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm infection) - -Infects 15-20% of
children in the U.S.
-Diagnosis= adhesive tape around anus
-Flatworms (cestodes, tapeworms) - --Type of helminth
-Flat, segmented worms
-Composed of a head and series of segments (proglottids)
-Normally inhabit human intestine
1/Updated 2024/Questions and
Answers/A+Rated
Parasite - -Live organism living in or on and having some metabolic
dependence on another organism (host)
-Endoparasite - -Lives inside host
-Ectoparasite - -Lives on or in the skin
-Facultative parasite - -Usually free-living, but can become parasitic if
accidentally enters host
-Mutualism - -Relationship in which both partners benefit from
association (termites and their gut protozoa)
-Commensalism - -One species benefits and the other neither benefits
nor is harmed
(Entamoeba gingivalis in human mouth)
-Parasitism - -Parasite living at the expense of and often causing harm
to the host (hookworm)
-Definitive host - -Host in which the parasite reaches sexual or
reproductive maturity
-Intermediate host - -Host in which the immature or larval form usually
resides or in which the parasite undergoes asexual reproduction. This
type of host is necessary for the parasites' development (Plasmodium,
mosquito=definitive host, human=intermediate)
-Accidental (incidental) host - -Host that accidentally harbors an
organism that is not ordinarily parasitic in the particular species. May or
may not cause symptoms
-Usually a short-lived infection
-Transport (paratenic) host - -Nonessential host in the life cycle of a
parasite that can harbor and maintain immature stages of a parasite
-Can serve to bridge intermediate and definitive host
-Reservoir host - --A 'living source' of the parasite
-Not the host of primary concern
-A host that serves as a source of infection and potential reinfection of
humans and as a means of sustaining a parasite when it is not infecting
humans
, -Eukaryotic parasites - --Protozoa
-Helminths
-Arthropods
-Protozoa - -Single-celled microorganisms that can inhabit many human
tissues, such as the blood, intestine, and reproductive systems
-Malaria (plasmodium), giardia, toxoplasma gondii
-Toxoplasmosis - -Mostly acquired from cats or by ingesting
undercooked meats
-Toxoplasmosis in adults - --Chorioretinitis
-Hepatitis
-Lymphadenitis
-Brain lesions
-Toxoplasmosis in children - -Hydrocephalus
-Vector for Trypanosomiasis - --Sleeping sickness
-Tsetse fly
-Vector for American Trypanosomiasis - --Chagas disease
-Kissing bug
-Helminths - -Worm-like invertebrates that lack a vertebral column
-Includes nematodes, flatworms (cestodes, trematodes)
-Nematodes (roundworms) - -Type of helminth, non-segmented worm
-Among most abundant life form on earth
-Many inhabit human intestine
-Most can be visualized without a microscope
-Pinworm, hookworm, ascarids
-Ascarids - -Type of roundworm infection
-One of 3 major soil-transmitted helminths (STHs)
-Other 2 are whipworms and hookworms
-Referred to as the "Unholy Trinity"
-Wuchereria bancrofti - -elephantiasis
-Enterobius vermicularis (pinworm infection) - -Infects 15-20% of
children in the U.S.
-Diagnosis= adhesive tape around anus
-Flatworms (cestodes, tapeworms) - --Type of helminth
-Flat, segmented worms
-Composed of a head and series of segments (proglottids)
-Normally inhabit human intestine
