How many eggs does a flea tapeworm capsule contain?
5-30 eggs
Why might a flea carry flea tapeworms?
Flea larvae eat flea tapeworm eggs and the worms then develop until they hatch and the flea larvae becomes an adult flea.
How does an animal obtain flea tapeworms?
Through the ingestion of a flea
In what part of the animal body does the flea tapeworm mature into an adult?
The small intestines
How does a flea tapeworm feed?
The tapeworms will attach to intestine wall and feed and grow while competing with dog for nutrients
What are proglottids?
Capsules shed by tapeworms that contain tapeworm eggs
How long after a flea tapeworm is ingested until it begins to release segments called proglottids?
2-3 weeks after ingestion
After a flea tapeworm expels proglottids, how does it exit the body?
Proglottids exit the body along with feces
Describe the flea tapeworm life cycle
- Eggs consumed by flea larvae
- Adult flea, along with hatched tapeworms, are consumed by an animal
- Tapeworm grows into adulthood in the small intestines
- 2-3 weeks after ingestion, proglottids containing eggs are shed by adult tapeworms
- Proglottids
Who is the intermediate host for flea tapeworms?
Fleas and biting louse
Who is the definitive host for flea tapeworms?
Dog cat or man
Define:
Intermediate Host
that host which harbors the immature, larval, or asexually reproducing forms of the parasite
Define:
Definitive Host
the host which harbors the adult or sexually reproducing stages of a parasite
Scientific name for Flea Tapeworm
Genus Dipylidium
Scientific name for Flea
Genus Ctenocephalides
What does a flea need in order to develop and reproduce?
Blood from host animal
How many eggs does a flea lay at once?
A bunch around 20 eggs
How many eggs can a flea lay in a day?
About 40 eggs
Where does a flea lay their eggs?
Fleas lay their eggs on host animal's fur
How are flea eggs distributed onto the environment?
Flea eggs are distributed when the host moves around and they fall off the host
What is the incubation period of a flea egg?
2 days to 2 weeks
What does a flea larvae eat?
Flea dirt (Flea poop) and organic materials in the environment
(Flea larvae are blind and avoid the sun)
How long before a flea larvae spins a cocoon?
5-20 days after hatching
How long can a flea pupae (in a cocoon) stay as a pupae?
Years
-Emerge when conditions are desirable
What does a flea do after emerging from cocoon?
- Must feed withins a couple hours
- Breed shortly after eating
- Lays eggs after a few days
How long does a flea live?
A few weeks to a few months
Describe the flea life cycle
- Hatch from 2-4 weeks
- Feeds on flea dirt and organic matter
- After 5-20 they go into a cocoon stage
- Stays cocoon/ days to years and emerges when conditions are desirable
- Feeds immediately
- Breeds after eating
- Female lays eggs after a few days i
Define Cyst
A thin-walled, hollow organ or cavity containing a liquid secretion; a sac, vesicle, or bladder
What are cysts in Giardia?
Cysts are resistant forms and are responsible for transmission of giardiasis
Where are cysts and trophozoites found?
In the animals feces
Define trophozoites
adult stage in the life cycle of a unicellular eukaryote in which it is actively absorbing nourishment
True or False
Cysts are very hardy and can last for months in cold water.
True
How might an animal be infected by Giardia?
Ingestion of infected water, food, or feces
Define excystation
Organism escaping from it's cyst envelope
How many trophozoites does the excystation release?
2 trophozoites
Where in the intestines does the excystation release trophozoites?
Small intestines
How does giardia feed?
Latches on to small intestine walls and feeds on a main diet of glucose
How do trophozoites multiply?
Binary fission
When does encystation occur?
This occurs when the parasite moves towards to colon
What giardia life stage is most found in non-diarrhea feces?
Cysts
True or False
Giardia is not Zoonotic
False
Describe Giardia life cycle
- Cysts and trophozoites are in feces
- Animal is contaminated when eating infected water food or feces
- In the small intestines, excystation releases trophozoites
- trophozoites multiply in the intestine and feed on the host
- Encystation occurs as the