Parasites

The article "Sleeping Sickness Parasite has a weak spot in its tail” by Catherine Brahic, is a very brief summary about a parasite,Trypanosoma brucei, passed to humans from the tsetse fly. The sleeping sickness is responsible for 50,000 deaths a year in Africa. Brahic states that they have discovered that the parasite cannot reproduce if its whip-like tail or "flagellum" stops working. Although they are still unsure, as to why the flagellum exists. Keith Gull of Oxford University has a theory,…

right away. Malaria is caused by a parasite that can infect a certain type of mosquito (Female Anopheles Mosquito) which feeds on human to cause Malaria. It is estimated that 1,500 cases of malaria diagnosed in USA each year, are caused by almost all travellers to parts of the world where (such as India, Africa, Democratic Republic of Congo,etc.) malaria occurs.…

The most dangerous pet parasites Are you worried about your pet’s health? Do you want to learn more about pet parasites? Then you’ve stumbled upon the right place. As pet owners, it’s our responsibility to ensure our pet’s happiness and wellness. Pet parasites are a common occurrence, but in some cases, they could prove deathly to our dog or cat. It’s important to be informed so that you can take the necessary precautions or act in the first signs of trouble. So to help you, I’ve summarized…

Parasitism is the relationship between a parasite and it’s host, whether it is simply parasitic, or mutualistic. The podcasts main goal was to try and determine whether parasites are good or evil, presenting cases for both. First, the example of the wasps that are parasites to cockroaches was given. In this relationship, the wasp paralyzes the roach by stinging it. Then it stings the roach again in its head, turning into a puppet-like object. Following the two stings, the wasp guides the roach…

Parasitism is one of several classes of symbiosis. A parasitic relationship is a non- mutual relationship between two organisms. One organism, the parasite, lives off another organism, the host. The parasite typically attacks one host and does not kill the host. However, a parasitoid is another parasitic relationship where there is one host and the host is always killed. Sacculina is a genus of parasitic rhizocephalan barnacles that infect and castrate crabs. This genus was first described by…

When the parasite is injected from the mosquito to the host body, it takes the form of a merozoite (2). A merozoite is a small sporozoan trophozoite that is produced asexually and is capable of reproducing by schizogony (2). Tests by scientific groups have determined different surface protein that help the protozoa in its attachment of the red blood cells (2). MSP-7, MSP-3, MSP-1, and other proteins have been identified, however, there function is not fully known. It is believed that they…

The main mode of transport is through your cat’s feces, so if you suspect that your cat may be infected, use extra caution when handling their litter box. The parasite can navigate its way for short periods, so keeping a potentially affected cat off food counters and dinner tables is highly recommended. Wild and domesticated cats are the only animals in which the disease can live a full lifecycle and reproduce…

The majority of malaria is caused by Plasmodium falciparum, which is the one of the most dangerous human malaria parasites. The most widespread effective malaria vector in Africa is the Anopheles gambiae mosquito, which is why malaria cases…

Introduction Malaria is a lethal disease caused by the Plasmodium species that are transmitted to people through bites of infected female Anopheles mosquitoes.1 There are 5 known Plasmodium species and among these, the P. falciparum is the most dangerous and deadly.1 According to the latest studies, there are approximately 198 million cases of malaria in 2013 and an estimated 584 000 deaths.2 However, Malaria mortality rates have decreased by 54% in the WHO African Region and nearly 47% globally…

you seen parasites in the mouths of striped bass you have caught on Lake Lanier? What you are seeing is most likely a parasitic copepod of the genus Achtheres. Achtheres is a parasitic copepod that infects the gills of freshwater fish and is most easily visible once they mature and move into the fish’s mouth. For those that haven’t seen them, mature adults resemble a small white dot (less than 1/8”) with what look like legs. Those ‘legs’ are actually the egg sacs of the female parasite which…