BIOL 4105 Chapter : 6 14 12 Giardia And Visceral Leishmaniasis
Document Summary
Visceral leishmaniasis- think big spleen: no skin lesions, niche- macrophages, human reservoir except desert rats in some areas, also will invade bone marrow, lymph nodes, liver. Mainly affected the spleen: still in monocytes/macrophages to circulate in the blood. Amastigotes picked up by the sandfly to continue the cycle. Clinical signs and symptoms: fever- recurrent high fever with no chills, liver enlarged, spleen greatly enlarged, anemia and thrombocytopenia from bone marrow infection by parasite, fatal if untreated (80-90% mortality within two years). Host defenses compromised and tissues severely damaged: can cross placenta (infants born with kala-azar), most prevalent in children. Kids play outside: sand flies bite in the morning and evening unless riled up during the day where they rest. Children are more likely to be bitten: enlarged abdomen comes from tremendous enlargement of the spleen, slight enlargement of the liver. Promastigote- surface coating temporarily blocks lysosomal action as it is transforming to an amastigote.
