Page 246 - parasitology for medical and clinical laboratoryprofessionals

226 CHAPTER 10

CASE STUDIES

1. Mary Beth is traveling across the country with a group of friends. They have always
tried to find economical lodging, and many of the places where they have stayed
have been dirty, musty, and somewhat old. One morning, after spending the night
in a somewhat decrepit motel, Mary Beth awakes and experiences wheezing and dif-
ficulties in breathing. She has never been diagnosed with asthma, but a number of
relatives have told her that they have a reactive type of asthma aggravated by certain
environmental factors. Could the condition be precipitated, or aggravated, by a para-
site? Explain how this could happen, the potential organism, and other factors that
could become medical problems for Mary Beth.
2. During the Middle Ages in Europe, a serious epidemic took the lives of tens of thou-
sands victims of a devastating infection. The organism was allegedly spread by rats
and the fleas that inhabited their bodies in these large and crowded cities. What is
the common name and causative organism that resulted in the epidemic? Provide
the name of the insect vector that supposedly led to the widespread malady.

STUDY QUESTIONS

1. What are two ways that ectoparasites gain nourish- 6. What are some common names for mites that infest
ment from the body of humans? the skin of human?
2. What is a common name for sexually transmitted 7. What is a serious consequence of being bitten by
body lice, and how did they acquire their name? dog ticks, and that may be fatal to children?
3. What is a serious disease that may be spread 8. What are some serious infectious diseases that are
by lice? transmitted by ticks?
4. What is the element of a louse that is called a nit? 9. What was once a medical treatment performed with
5. What are some ways that mites can cause serious leeches?
medical conditions? 10. How can tooth amoebae be helpful?