HSS 1100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Ascaris Lumbricoides, Rodent, Mefloquine

• School: University of Ottawa
• Department: Health Sciences
• Course: HSS 1100
• Professor: William Yan

Document Summary

Infection of the small bowel: cause: giardiasis, frequently identified intestinal parasite, most infections are asymptomatic (carriers, symptoms: diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, retardation of growth and development in young children (failure to thrive) Prevalence: common protozoan infection of intestinal tract, 2-5% in industrialized world & 20-30% in developing world, rises in infancy and childhood; declines in adolescence, high risk groups: immunocompromised, travelers. Life cycle: excystation, trophozoites in small intestine, encystation, cysts shed with faeces. Diagnosis: microscopy (stool exam, cysts concentrated by flotation and identified using bright-field microscopy. Immunofluorescence microscopy using fluorochrome-(cid:272)o(cid:374)jugated (cid:373)ab"s that (cid:271)i(cid:374)d to the cyst wall. Immunological testing: detect giardia-specific antigens in faeces (eg. elisa, elisa enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Treatment: nitroimidazole derivatives, metranidazole and tinidazole (drugs of choice); 2g (single dose) daily for 3 days. Control water treatment: resistance to chlorination, fewer outbreaks in municipalities using water filtration, ozone/uv light promising, epa method 1623.