Endoparasites Protozoan organisms
Common name of organism or diseaseLatin name (sorted)Body parts affectedDiagnostic specimenPrevalenceSource/Transmission (Reservoir/Vector)Granulomatous amoebic encephalitis and Acanthamoeba keratitis (eye infection)Acanthamoeba spp.eye, brain, skinculture or PCRworldwidecontact lenses cleaned with contaminated tap waterGranulomatous amoebic encephalitisBalamuthia mandrillarisbrain, skinculture or metagenomic sequencingworldwidevia inhalation or skin lesionBabesiosisBabesia B. divergens, B. bigemina, B. equi, B. microfti, B. duncanired blood cellsGiemsa-stained thin blood smearNew England (different species have worldwide distribution)tick bites, e.g. Ixodes scapularisBalantidiasisBalantidium coliintestinal mucosa, may become invasive in some patientsstool (diarrhea=ciliated trophozoite; solid stool=large cyst with horseshoe shaped nucleus)ingestion of cyst, zoonotic infection acquired from pigs via fecal contamination.BlastocystosisBlastocystis spp.intestinaldirect microscopy of stool sample or fecal PCRworldwide: one of the most common human parasitesDeveloping regions: infects of the total populationsFigure 4: Prevalence of IBS and Blastocystosis by countryTable 2: Summary of treatments and efficacy for Blastocystis infectioneating food contaminated with feces from an infected human or animalCryptosporidiosisCryptosporidium spp.intestinesstoolWidespreadingestion of oocyst (sporulated), some species are zoonotic (e.g. bovine fecal contamination)CyclosporiasisCyclospora cayetanensisintestinesstoolUnited Statesingestion of oocyst through contaminated foodDientamoebiasisDientamoeba fragilisintestinesstoolup to 10% in industrialized countriesingesting water or food contaminated with fecesAmoebiasisEntamoeba histolyticaintestines (mainly colon, but can cause liver failure if not treated)stool (fresh diarrheic stools have amoeba, solid stool has cyst)areas with poor sanitation, high population density and tropical regions fecal-oral transmission of cyst, not amoebaGiardiasisGiardia lamblialumen of the small intestinestoolworldwide?ingestion of water containing deer or beaver fecesIsosporiasisIsospora belliepithelial cells of small intestinesstoolworldwide – less common than Toxoplasma or Cryptosporidiumfecal oral route – ingestion of sporulated oocystLeishmaniasisLeishmania spp.cutaneous, mucocutaneous, or visceralvisual identification of lesion or microscopic stain with Leishman's or Giemsa's stainvisceral leishmaniasis – worldwide; cutaneous leishmaniasis – Old World; mucocutaneous leishmaniasis – New WorldPhlebotomus, Lutzomyia – bite of several species of phlebotomine sandfliesPrimary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM)Cogo PE, Scaglia M, Gatti S, Rossetti F, Alaggio R, Laverda AM, et al. Fatal Naegleria fowleri Meningoencephalitis, Italy Emerging Infectious Diseases [serial on the Internet]. 2004 Oct; accessed Jan 2009Bennett, Nicholas John State University of New York Upstate Medical University Domachowske, Joseph; Khan, Asad A Louisiana State University Health Science Center; King, John W; Cross, J Thomas Naegleria eMedicine; accessed Jan 2009Naegleria fowleribraincultureunknown, but infection is rarenasal insufflation of contaminated warm fresh water, poorly chlorinated swimming pools, hot springs, soilMalariaPlasmodium falciparum (80% of cases), Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium ovale curtisi, Plasmodium ovale wallikeri, Plasmodium malariae, Plasmodium knowlesired blood cells, liverblood filmtropical – 250 million cases/yearAnopheles mosquitoRhinosporidiosisRhinosporidium seeberinose, nasopharynxbiopsyIndia and Sri Lankanasal mucosa came into contact with infected material through bathing in common pondsSarcocystosisSarcocystis bovihominis,Sarcocystis suihominisintestine, musclemuscle biopsywidespreadingestion of uncooked/undercooked beef/pork with Sarcocystis sarcocystsToxoplasmosis (Acute and Latent)Toxoplasma gondiieyes, brain, heart, liverblood and PCRworldwide: one of the most common human parasites; estimated to infect between of the global population.ingestion of uncooked/undercooked pork/lamb/goat with Toxoplasma bradyzoites, ingestion of raw milk with Toxoplasma tachyzoites, ingestion of contaminated water food or soil with oocysts in cat feces that is more than one day oldTrichomoniasisTrichomonas vaginalisfemale urogenital tract (males asymptomatic)microscopic examination of genital swabworldwidesexually transmitted infection – only trophozoite form (no cysts)Sleeping sicknessTrypanosoma bruceibrain and bloodmicroscopic examination of chancre fluid, lymph node aspirates, blood, bone marrow50,000 to 70,000 people; only found in Africatsetse fly, day-biting fly of the genus GlossinaChagas diseaseTrypanosoma cruzicolon, esophagus, heart, nerves, muscle and bloodGiemsa stain – bloodMexico, Central America, South America – 16–18 millionTriatoma/Reduviidae – "kissing bug" insect vector, feeds at night
Helminths (worms)
Helminth organisms (also called helminths or intestinal worms) include:
Tapeworms
Common name of organism or diseaseLatin name (sorted)Body parts affectedDiagnostic specimenPrevalenceTransmission/VectorTapeworm – Tapeworm infectionCestoda, Taenia multicepsintestinestoolrare worldwideDiphyllobothriasis – tapewormDiphyllobothrium latumintestines, bloodstool (microscope)Europe, Japan, Uganda, Peru, Chileingestion of raw fresh water fishDiphyllobothriasis – tapewormDiphyllobothrium pacificumintestinesstool (microscope)Peruingestion of raw saltwater fishEchinococcosis – tapewormEchinococcus granulosus, Echinococcus multilocularis, E. vogeli, E. oligarthrusliver, lungs, kidney, spleenimaging of hydatid cysts in the liver, lungs, kidney and spleenWorldwide in grazing areasas intermediate host, ingestion of material contaminated by feces from a carnivore; as definite host, ingestion of uncooked meat (offal) from a herbivoreHymenolepiasisHymenolepis nana, Hymenolepis diminutaingestion of material contaminated by flour beetles, mealworms, cockroachesBeef tapewormTaenia saginataIntestinesstoolworldwide distributioningestion of undercooked beefCysticercosis-Pork tapewormTaenia soliumBrain, muscle, Eye (Cysts in conjunctiva/anterior chamber/sub-retinal space)stool, blood, imaging of cysts in the brain or any soft tissueAsia, Africa, South America, Southern Europe, North America.as definite host: ingestion of undercooked pork; as intermediate host, ingestion of material contaminated by human feces from a person carrying the adult formBertielliasisBertiella mucronata, Bertiella studeriIntestinesstoolrarecontact with non-human primatesSparganosisSpirometra erinaceieuropaeiingestion of material contaminated with infected dog or cat feces (humans: dead-end host)
Flukes
Common name of organism or diseaseLatin name (sorted)Body parts affectedDiagnostic specimenPrevalenceTransmission/VectorClonorchiasisClonorchis sinensis; Clonorchis viverrinigall bladder ducts and inflammation of liverEast Asiaingestion of under prepared freshwater fish Lancet liver flukeDicrocoelium dendriticumgall bladderrareingestion of antsLiver fluke – FasciolosisFasciola hepatica, Fasciola giganticaliver, gall bladderstoolFasciola hepatica in Europe, Africa, Australia, the Americas and Oceania; Fasciola gigantica only in Africa and Asia, 2.4 million people infected by both speciesfreshwater snailsFasciolopsiasis – intestinal flukeCenters for Disease Control and Prevention Fasciolopsiasis Fasciolopsis buskiintestinesstool or vomitus (microscope)East Asia – 10 million peopleingestion of infested water plants or water (intermediate host: amphibic snails)Metagonimiasis – intestinal flukeMetagonimus yokogawaistoolSiberia, Manchuria, Balkan states, Israel, Spainingestion of undercooked or salted fishMetorchiasisMetorchis conjunctusCanada, US, Greenlandingestion of raw fishChinese liver flukeOpisthorchis viverrini, Opisthorchis felineus, Clonorchis sinensisbile duct1.5 million people in Russiaconsuming infected raw, slightly salted or frozen fishParagonimiasis, lung flukeParagonimus westermani; Paragonimus africanus; Paragonimus caliensis; Paragonimus kellicotti; Paragonimus skrjabini; Paragonimus uterobilateralislungssputum, fecesEast Asiaingestion of raw or undercooked freshwater crabs crayfishes or other crustaceansSchistosomiasis – bilharzia, bilharziosis or snail fever (all types)Schistosoma sp. Africa, Caribbean, eastern South America, east Asia, Middle East – 200 million peopleskin exposure to water contaminated with infected freshwater snailsintestinal schistosomiasisSchistosoma mansoni and Schistosoma intercalatumintestine, liver, spleen, lungs, skin, rarely infects the brainstool Africa, Caribbean, South America, Asia, Middle East – 83 million peopleskin exposure to water contaminated with infected Biomphalaria freshwater snailsurinary blood flukeSchistosoma haematobiumkidney, bladder, ureters, lungs, skinurineAfrica, Middle Eastskin exposure to water contaminated with infected Bulinus sp. snailsSchistosomiasis by Schistosoma japonicumSchistosoma japonicumintestine, liver, spleen, lungs, skinstoolChina, East Asia, Philippinesskin exposure to water contaminated with infected Oncomelania sp. snailsAsian intestinal schistosomiasisSchistosoma mekongiSouth East Asiaskin exposure to water contaminated with infected Neotricula aperta – freshwater snailsEchinostomiasisEchinostoma echinatumsmall intestineFar Eastingestion of raw fish, mollusks, snailsSwimmer's itchTrichobilharzia regenti, Schistosomatidaeworldwideskin exposure to contaminated water (snails and vertebrates)
Roundworms