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76 CHAPTER 3

CASE STUDIES (CONTINUED)

A culture for Neisseria gonorrhea and Gram stain from the penis were performed and
resulted in negative results. What would be the next most important pathogen that
the physician might suspect? What is another important instruction that the physi-
cian should give to the patient?
6. A city that is surrounded by farms of mostly cows that produce both milk and beef
obtains its water from two lakes into which local streams run. The majority of the
population began suffering from watery diarrhea and became dehydrated within a
few days of each other, complaining of fever and stomach cramps. The local health
department launched an investigation and found that the members of some fami-
lies suffering from the digestive upset had been out of town during the weekend
of the previous two weeks. Family members who had been at home suffered from
the ailment. What would be the most important pathogen capable of causing these
signs and symptoms that the investigators might suspect? What is another impor-
tant element the health department should investigate that might have led to the
local epidemic?

STUDY QUESTIONS

1. How are most intestinal parasites transmitted? 7. With what are T. vaginalis most often confused?
2. With what organism is T. hominis and C. mesnili, 8. Name two flagellate organisms found in monkeys
both nonpathogens, frequently confused? and simians.
3. The only ciliate found in humans that is considered 9. What is the most common parasitic organism iso-
to be pathogenic is that of _____. lated from the human stool?
4. How does the ciliate differ from a flagellate? 10. How is G. lamblia able to cause a heavy infection in
only a few days?
5. Flagellates have a simple life cycle. They are infec-
tive, unlike many other organisms, in the 11. What parasitic infective organism was originally
stage. thought to be that of a yeast organism?
6. T. vaginalis only has one host. What is it?