This e-book, Topics on the Pathology of Protozoan and Invasive Arthropod Diseases, was originally conceived as a companion volume of our earlier book, Pathology of Infectious Diseases, Helminthiases, published in the year 2000. During the production of the current volume, however, administrative circumstances were not conducive to its publication as a hardcover book. We are pleased nevertheless to be able to present this treatise on protozoan and invasive arthropod related ...
Definition Toxoplasmosis is infection by Toxoplasma gondii, a coccidian protozoan parasite of birds, cats, humans, and other mammals. In humans, infection is usually asymptomatic. Clinical symptoms arise in some congenitally infected infants and in adults whose immune systems have been compromised by, for example, corticosteroids, cytostatic agents, or AIDS.
The cutaneous leishmaniases include a spectrum of self healing and chronic disease forms caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Clinical presentations differ according to parasite burden and host immune response. Although there can be considerable overlap of clinical presentations, 5 distinct cutaneous syndromes are recognized in Leishmania infections: 1) simple or localized ulcerative or nodular cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL); 2) mucosal leishmaniasis (ML); 3) leishmaniasis recidivans (LR); 4) diffuse ...
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), a chronic disease caused by parasites of the Leishmania donovani complex, is characterized by irregular fever, enlargement of the spleen and liver, weight loss, pancytopenia, and hypergammaglobulinemia.
Definition Pentastomiasis is infection by pentastomes, which are organisms in the phylum Pentastomida (the approximately 95 species of the phylum, most correctly called pentastomids, are commonly known as pentastomes and will be so termed in this chapter). The single class within the phylum, Pentastomata, comprises 7 families in 2 orders, Porocephalida and Cephalobaenida. In the order Cephalobaenida, infections in humans by Raillietiella hemidactyli and Raillietiella gehyrae have been reported. Two ...
Malaria is an infectious disease caused by coccidian protozoa of the genus Plasmodium, and transmitted by infected female anopheline mosquitoes. Plasmodium sp infecting humans include Plasmodium vivax, Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium malariae, and Plasmodium ovale. The 4 species differ in geographic distribution, microscopic appearance, and clinical features.d Infections with P. vivax, P. falciparum, P. malariae, and P. ovale are known respectively as vivax or benign tertian malaria, falciparum malaria, quartan malaria, ...
Cryptosporidiosis, isosporiasis, cyclosporiasis, and sarcocystosis are diseases caused by protozoa of the phylum Sporozoa, class Coccidea, order Eimeriida. All are obligate intracellular parasites of intestinal epithelial cells. Cryptosporidium sp, Isospora belli and Cyclospora cayetanensis complete their life cycles within a single host. They cause self-limited or prolonged diarrhea, depending on the host's immune status. In contrast Sarcocystis requires two host species. Compared to other coccidia, Cryptosporidium sp are less host ...
African trypanosomiasis is infection by protozoan hemoflagellates of the Trypanosoma brucei complex, subspecies of which cause disease in humans: Trypanosoma brucei gambiense causes Gambian (chronic) trypanosomiasis and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense causes Rhodesian (acute) trypanosomiasis. A third economically important subspecies, Trypanosoma brucei, causes nagana, a fatal disease of animals, but does not infect humans.
Gnathostoma belongs to one of the largest groups of roundworms, the Spirurida. The genus Gnathostoma has 10 to 12 species, 3 of which have been reported in humans: G. spinigerum, G. hispidum, and G. doloresi. The most is known about G. spinigerum, which is the cause of the greatest number of cases of gnathostomiasis reported in humans. The life cycle of G. spinigerum involves two intermediate and one final host. ...
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