Pulse - October 2024 - 20

INDUSTRY INSIGHTS
The non-zoonotic fluke, Alaria marcianae, uses cats as their definitive
host unless their infection occurs within a pregnant queen, where
it changes its course and invades the definitive kittens through
trans-mammary transmission.
intermediate and definitive hosts. Toxoplasma wants the cat to live
a long, healthy life yet settles into the brain as it would with any
intermediate host. Sometimes, this decision leads to feline, neurological
clinical signs. No matter, Toxoplasma welcomes the situation
where predators can become prey. Parasites always see the host as
half-full.
Understanding the definitive and intermediate parasite-host
relationship provides insight into the location and severity of clinical
signs and pathology. Parasites are generally rougher on their
intermediate hosts than their definitive ones. This helps intermediate
hosts become prey and definitive hosts become warm homes to
raise children in.
Ultimately, People got the story correct with a short cut. If you
eat pork, properly cook it! Eating thoroughly cooked Taenia solium
cysticerci provide ample protein without consequences. When
speaking to pet owners, I am guilty of short cuts as I rarely have
time to fully flesh out where humans fall within the roundworm
and hookworm cycles. Still, we must occasionally remind ourselves
of the complete life cycles as they can help us diagnose and treat. P
References
1 Bowman, Dwight D.. Georgis' Parasitology for Veterinarians E-Book (p.
612). Elsevier Health Sciences. Kindle Edition.
2 Bowman, Dwight D.. Georgis' Parasitology for Veterinarians E-Book (pp.
656-657). Elsevier Health Sciences. Kindle Edition.
3 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024, June 7). CDC - dpdx
- taeniasis. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.
cdc.gov/dpdx/taeniasis/index.html#:~:text=Taeniasis%20is%20the%20
infection%20of%20humans%20with%20the%20adult%20tapeworm
4 Etienne, V. (2024, August 28). Doctor shares horrifying scan of patient's legs
filled with parasites after they ate undercooked pork. Peoplemag.,
5 Harold C. Gibbs, Hypobiosis in Parasitic Nematodes-An Update, Editor(s):
J.R. Baker, R. Muller, Advances in Parasitology, Academic Press, Volume
25, 1986, Pages 129-174, ISSN 0065-308X, ISBN 9780120317257, https://doi.
org/10.1016/S0065-308X(08)60343-7.
6 Lakna. (2018, January 7). Difference between definitive host and intermediate
host: Definition, facts, examples, differences. Pediaa.Com. https://
pediaa.com/difference-between-definitive-host-and-intermediatehost/#:~:text=The%20main%20difference%20between%20definitive%20
host%20and%20intermediate%20host%20is
20
OCTOBER
2024
PULSE

https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/taeniasis/index.html#:~:text=Taeniasis%20is%20the%20infection%20of%20humans%20with%20the%20adult%20tapeworm https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/taeniasis/index.html#:~:text=Taeniasis%20is%20the%20infection%20of%20humans%20with%20the%20adult%20tapeworm https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/taeniasis/index.html#:~:text=Taeniasis%20is%20the%20infection%20of%20humans%20with%20the%20adult%20tapeworm https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-308X(08)60343-7 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-308X(08)60343-7 http://www.Pediaa.Com https://www.pediaa.com/difference-between-definitive-host-and-intermediatehost/#:~:text=The%20main%20difference%20between%20definitive%20host%20and%20intermediate%20host%20is https://www.pediaa.com/difference-between-definitive-host-and-intermediatehost/#:~:text=The%20main%20difference%20between%20definitive%20host%20and%20intermediate%20host%20is https://www.pediaa.com/difference-between-definitive-host-and-intermediatehost/#:~:text=The%20main%20difference%20between%20definitive%20host%20and%20intermediate%20host%20is https://www.pediaa.com/difference-between-definitive-host-and-intermediatehost/#:~:text=The%20main%20difference%20between%20definitive%20host%20and%20intermediate%20host%20is

Pulse - October 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pulse - October 2024