Flashcards: Cestode Infections: Pathology and Prevention — 24 cards

Diphyllobothriasis — epidemiology?

Distributed worldwide, linked to raw freshwater fish.

Diphyllobothrium latum — morphology?

Longest human tapeworm, 3-10 meters, 3000+ proglottids.

Life cycle — key stages?

Eggs hatch, ingested by copepods, fish, then humans.

Clinical signs — mild infection?

Abdominal discomfort, weight loss, malnutrition.

Diagnosis — methods?

Stool ova exam, blood count, B12 levels.

Taenia solium vs T. saginata — difference?

T. solium has hooks; T. saginata does not.

Human infection — source?

Eating undercooked pork or beef containing cysticerci.

Taeniasis — clinical features?

Asymptomatic or abdominal discomfort, proglottid passage.

Cysticercosis — main complication?

Larval cysts in brain, muscle, subcutaneous tissues.

Hymenolepis nana — transmission?

Fecal-oral ingestion of eggs.

H. nana — clinical symptoms?

Often asymptomatic; can cause GI and pruritus.

H. nana — diagnosis?

Egg detection in stool, eosinophilia.

Echinococcus granulosus — life cycle?

Dogs as definitive hosts, sheep/cattle as intermediates.

Cyst development — pathology?

Hydatid cysts grow slowly, contain protoscolices.

Organ involvement — common sites?

Liver (98%), lungs, less often spleen, kidneys.

Alveolar echinococcosis — primary site?

Liver, with invasive, tumor-like growth.

Diagnosis — imaging?

Ultrasound, CT, serology for antibodies.

Hydatid cyst rupture — complication?

Anaphylaxis, secondary infection.

Hydatid treatment — options?

Surgery (cystectomy), PAIR, chemotherapy.

Prevention — key measures?

Hygiene, cooking/freezing fish, controlling hosts.

Echinococcus multilocularis — hosts?

Foxes, dogs; rodents as intermediate hosts.

Cystic vs alveolar — symptoms?

Cystic: organ mass effects; alveolar: tumor-like, infiltrative.

Diagnosis of cystic echinococcosis?

Imaging, serology, cyst visualization.

Treatment in inoperable cases?

Albendazole or mebendazole therapy.