OVERVIEW: What every clinician needs to know Parasite name and classification Toxocara canis and Toxocara cati are roundworms that normally infect dogs and cats; however, humans can be accidental hosts, resulting in visceral or ocular larva migrans. Other causative roundworms include species of Gnathostoma and Ancylostoma. Other roundworms, including the hookworm species Ancylostoma braziliense and…
OVERVIEW: What every clinician needs to know Parasite names and classification Nematodes, or roundworms, are a category of helminths (worms). Two major groups of nematodes include Trichinella and filaria. Trichinella are tissue nematodes that cause trichinellosis (aka trichinosis). Species that infect humans include: T. spiralis, T. pseudospiralis, T. nativa, T. nelsoni, T. bitovi, T. murelli,…
OVERVIEW: What every clinician needs to know Parasite name and classification Human African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) is caused by the protozoan parasites Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense in East Africa, and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense in West and Central Africa. What is the best treatment? Pentamidine 4 mg/kg daily intramuscularly or intravenously is effective for T. b. gambiense…
OVERVIEW: What every clinician needs to know Parasite name and classification Trypanosoma cruzi is a protozoan parasite and the agent of Chagas disease. What is the best treatment? Benznidazole is the preferred agent for the treatment of Chagas disease. Obtain a baseline complete blood count and metabolic panel prior to treatment.Continue Reading Major adverse effects…
OVERVIEW: What every clinician needs to know Pathogen name and classification Coronaviruses are in the family Nidovirus. There are six species of coronaviruses that infect humans and many others that infect animals. The coronaviruses that cause human disease are found in two genera: alphacoronaviruses (HCoV-229E, HCoV-NL63) and betacoronaviruses (HCoV-HKU1, HCoV-OC43, and the coronavirus associated with…
