Module 6: Parasitic and Fungal Diseases

Which of the following categories of patients would be LEAST susceptible to fungal infections?

• HIV positive individuals

• Cancer patients

• Organ transplant recipients

• The average college student

Which of the following statements regarding neglected parasitic infections is correct?

• Public health action against NPI's in the US is based the multiple vaccines available to treat them

• Candida auris is considered a major NPI in the US

• NPI's disproportionately affect the poor in both tropical areas and the US

• NPI's have robust surveillance associated with them due to their chronic features

An outbreak of Giardia lamblia is occurring at a daycare center in Washington D.C. Which of the statements below best describes how the daycare center staff should attempt to stop the chain of transmission of the disease?

• Not allow any students that are sneezing or coughing to attend daycare

• Closely monitor any students for a ring-like rash and send any that have one home

• Closely monitor students to ensure that have washed their hands after using the bathroom

• Not allow any students that have open wounds to attend daycare

If you were a practicing midwife in the US (i.e. actively working with pregnant women), which of the following parasitic diseases would be most important to talk to your patients about and why?

• Toxoplasmosis - the fetus can be infected from the mother which may result in serious eye or brain damage

• Trichomoniasis - it resides in the female urogenital tract and can cause birth defects

• Chagas disease - it can be passed from mother to child and is prevalent in the US

• Malaria - kissing bugs transmit the disease and are known to have a greater attraction to pregnant women

A patient who is receiving a blood transfusion in Mexico would be a greater risk for acquiring which protozoan?

• Plasmodium falciparum

• Trichomonas vaginalis

• Toxoplasma gondii

• Trypanosoma cruzi

A person has recently returned from traveling to Africa and is presenting with fever and flu-like illness, consistent with the initial stages of malaria. Which of the statements below is true regarding the treatment options in this case

• The Plasmodium species must first be identified in order to proceed with treatment

• The same drugs are used regardless of the Plasmodium species, so treatment can proceed immediately

• A malaria vaccine is available that can be administered to the person

• Antimalarial drug resistance may be a factor in the person's treatment

• Two of the answers are correct

Trichomoniasis is a sexually transmitted infection (STI) that presents with similar symptomology to other bacterial and viral STI's including intense itching and genital discharge. Which of the following statements would help to prove a Trichomonas vaginalis infection?

• Microscopic examination of discharge shows both unicellular and multicellular organisms

• Microscopic examination of discharge shows a unicellular eukaryotic organism

• Microscopic examination of discharge shows a unicellular prokaryotic organism

• Examination of discharge shows a macroscopic organism

Fungal diseases _________

• Primarily cause secondary infections in immunocompromised populations

• Are known for causing epidemics

• Cause significant symptoms, even in healthy people

• Have an extremely high mortality rate

To prevent transmission of Candida auris infections in a hospital setting, which of the following measures would be appropriate? Check all that apply

• Isolate any infected individuals to avoid person-to-person contact

• Screen all hospital food to prevent foodborne transmisison

• Sterilize all medical equipment

• Ensure that any infected patients are practicing safe sex measures to avoid sexual transmission

Given the information on current control measures related to parasitic diseases what is the best way to address controlling the spread of parasitic diseases?

• Vaccinating the population against parasitic diseases

• Delivering anti-parasitic medications on a regular basis because they have a low-toxicity associated with them

• Designing control measures for arthropod vectors