Parasitic Infection

Aka: Parasitic Infection, Neglected Parasitic Infection, Parasitic Disease, Parasite

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II. History

  1. See History from the Ill Returning Traveler

III. Pathophysiology

  1. Parasites cause acute disease via two primary mechanisms
    1. Mass Effect
      1. High parasitic load related obstruction (Intestinal Obstruction)
    2. Host Inflammatory Response
      1. TH2 Pattern (release of inflammatory mediators such as Interleukins, Immunoglobulins, Mast Cell activation)
      2. Jarisch-Herheimer Reaction (antimicrobial agent induced reaction to dying organisms)

IV. Types: Ectoparasites

  1. See Arthropod
  2. Bedbug
  3. Lice
  4. Scabies
  5. Tick Bite
  6. Flea Bite

V. Types: Endoparasites

  1. Protozoa
    1. Amoebiasis
    2. Babesiosis
    3. Giardiasis
    4. Leishmaniasis
    5. Malaria
    6. Toxoplasmosis
    7. Trichomoniasis
    8. Chagas Disease
  2. Helminths (worms)
    1. Tapeworms
      1. Echinococcosis
      2. Cysticercosis
    2. Flukes
      1. Schistosomiasis
      2. Swimmer's Itch
    3. Roundworms
      1. Lymphatic Filariasis
      2. Toxocariasis
      3. Pinworm

VI. Causes: Neglected Parasitic Infections in the U.S. (CDC focus area)

  1. Chagas Disease
  2. Neurocysticercosis
  3. Toxocariasis
  4. Toxoplasmosis
  5. Trichomoniasis

VII. Causes: Neglected tropical diseases (per CDC)

  1. Buruli ulcer
  2. Chagas Disease
  3. Cysticercosis
  4. Dengue Fever
  5. Dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm Disease)
  6. Echinococcosis
  7. Fascioliasis
  8. Human African Trypanosomiasis (African Sleeping Sickness)
  9. Leishmaniasis
  10. Leprosy (Hansen's Disease)
  11. Lymphatic Filariasis
  12. Onchocerciasis
  13. Rabies
  14. Schistosomiasis
  15. Soil-transmitted Helminths (STH) (Ascaris, Hookworm, and Whipworm)
  16. Trachoma
  17. Yaws

VIII. Causes: Waterborne Parasites (common worldwide)

  1. See Waterborne Illness
  2. Amebiasis
  3. Cryptosporidiosis
  4. Giardiasis
  5. Guinea worm (Dracunculus medinensis)
  6. Schistosomiasis

IX. Differential Diagnosis

  1. See Altered Mental Status in Febrile Returning Traveler
  2. See Cutaneous Conditions in Febrile Returning Traveler
  3. See Dermatologic Manifestations in Returning Traveler
  4. See Fever in the Returning Traveler
  5. See Gastrointestinal Disease in Returning Traveler
  6. See International Medical Concerns

X. Labs

  1. See specific agents
  2. See Fever in the Returning Traveler (includes lab testing)
  3. Complete Blood Count with differential
    1. May demonstrate Eosinophilia

XI. Complications: Organisms with serious secondary effects

  1. Anaphylaxis
    1. Echinococcus species (Hydatid Disease)
  2. Anemia
    1. Babesia species (Babesiosis)
    2. Diphyllobothirum latum (Fish Tapeworm)
    3. Necator americanus (New World Hookworm)
    4. Plasmodium species (Malaria) - Hemolytic Anemia
    5. Trichuris trichiura (Whipworm)
  3. Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome
    1. Babesia species (Babesiosis)
    2. Pneumocystis carinii
    3. Plasmodium species (Malaria)
    4. Strongyloides stercoralis (Threadworm)
  4. Cardiomyopathy
    1. Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas Disease)
    2. Trichinella species (Trichinosis roundworm)
    3. Taenia solium (Cysticercosis)
    4. Entamoeba histolytica (Amoebiasis)
  5. Encephalitis
    1. Taenia solium (Cysticercosis)
    2. Plasmodium Falciparum (Malaria)
    3. Toxoplasma gondii (Toxoplasmosis)
    4. Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas Disease)
  6. Gastrointestinal Conditions
    1. See Serious Parasitic Gastrointestinal Complications
  7. Seizure Disorder
    1. Taenia solium (Neurocysticercosis)
    2. Entamoeba histolytica (Amoebiasis)
    3. Echinococcus species (Hydatid Disease)

XII. Prevention

  1. See Travel Preparation
  2. See Travel Immunization
  3. See Waterborne Illness Prevention
  4. See Foodborne Illness Prevention
  5. See Prevention of Vector-borne Infection
  6. See Malaria Prophylaxis

XIII. Resources

  1. See Travel Resources
  2. CDC Neglected Parasitic Infections (U.S.)
    1. http://www.cdc.gov/parasites/npi/index.html
  3. CDC Neglected Tropical Diseases (worldwide)
    1. http://www.cdc.gov/globalhealth/ntd/

XIV. References

  1. Wang and Nguyen (2017) Crit Dec Emerg Med 31(9):13-8

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