Course Outline
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- Significance of Microfilarial Infection in Humans
- Filariasis: Background
- Filariasis: History
- The history of filariasis appears to go back in time to:
- Filariasis is a parasitic disease caused by cestodes.
- Epidemiology and Transmission
- Epidemiology: Disease Distribution and Populations at Risk
- Transmission
- Life Cycle
- Lymphatic filariasis is defined as a neglected tropical disease. All of the following are characteristics of a neglected tropical disease, except:
- In the transmission of the different filarial species affecting humans, vectors may include the following arthropods:
- The human is known as the definitive host in the life cycle of the filarial parasite. Select the true statement:
- Clinical Presentation
- Clinical Presentation
- A hydrocele is one of the four commonly encountered clinical presentations of lymphatic filariasis in humans. What is a hydrocele?
- Less frequently, chyluria may be present in the clinical presentation of lymphatic filariasis in humans. What is chyluria?
- Useful Diagnostic Methods
- Direct Examination: Microscopy
- Nucleic Acid Detection and Other Methods
- Using the direct detection method (microscopy) for diagnosing active infection in the identification of microfilariae (using a peripheral blood smear)...
- In the United States, specialized molecular, serologic, and rapid diagnostic tests are found in research and some public health laboratories. The FDA ...
- Differentiating Clinically Significant Microfilariae
- Wuchereria
- Brugia
- Brugia malayi
- Brugia timori
- All of the following are synonyms for the infection caused by Brugia malayi, except:
- Loa
- Loa loa
- In Loiasis: What are Calabar swellings?
- Onchocerca
- Onchocerca volvulus
- What is river blindness? Select the best answer choice.
- Mansonella
- Mansonella ozzardi
- Mansonella streptocerca
- Mansonella perstans
- Regarding Mansonella species: Microfilariae are always found in the infected human's peripheral blood.
- Emerging Zoonotic Microfilariae
- Dirofilaria
- Regarding the dog heartworm: Which of the following statements is true?
- References
Additional Information
Intended Audience: Medical laboratory scientists, medical technologists, and technicians. This course is also appropriate for medical laboratory science students and pathology residents.
Level of Instruction: Intermediate
Course Description: This course describes the significance of medically important microfilariae. Epidemiology, transmission, clinical presentation, and diagnostic laboratory methods are discussed. Morphologic descriptions and ways to differentiate between five clinically significant microfilariae (including Wuchereria, Brugia, Onchocerca, Loa, and Mansonella), as well as an introduction to emerging zoonotic microfilariae are also considered in this module. This module is intended for medical technologists having basic blood parasitology and/or microbiology experience.
Author: Dr. Julie Ann West is certified by the American
Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) and as a Specialist in Microbiology
(SM). In addition, Dr. West has earned a PhD in Public Health - Epidemiology Specialization (emphasis on infectious disease) - and is Certified in Public Health (CPH) by the National
Board of Public Health Examiners. Dr. West is experienced as a Technical
Specialist, Safety Officer, Educator, and Lead in the Veterans Administration
Healthcare System, and has prior experience as an Administrative
Laboratory Director.
Reviewer: Christine Mayambala, PhD, is certified by the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) as a Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS). She has earned a PhD in Public Health - Epidemiology Specialization. Dr. Mayambala is experienced as a Generalist and Molecular Technologist. At present, Dr. Mayambala teaches pre-nursing and medical laboratory technology at a community college in Metro Atlanta.
