Standardised Nomenclature

of Animal Parasitic Diseases

(SNOPAD)

SNOPAD RECOMMENDATIONS

When disease names are formed from the taxonomic name of the parasite, of the suffixes -asis, -iasis
used for describing a disease or infection should be discontinued, only the suffix -osis (in plural -oses)
should be used.
Another major source of nomenclatural heterogeneity originates from the variation in the stem of words
which are formed either from the nominative (eg. trypanosomosis, hypodermosis) or from the Greek
genitive (eg. trypanosomatosis, hypodermatosis). For uniform usage SNOPAD offers a simple solution by
proposing that the suffix -osis be added to the stem of the name of the parasite taxon, which, in general, is
formed from the nominative case of the taxa by the omission of the last one or two letters (eg.
Trypanosoma, trypanosomosis, Sarcocystis, sarcocystiosis, Fasciola, fasciolosis, Trichostrongylidae,
trichostrongylidosis, Ascaris, ascariosis, Trichinella, trichinellosis, Hypoderma, hypodermosis).
When taxa end with -x in the nominative the stem is formed from the genitive and the disease name is
derived from the stem of the genitive (eg. Endolimax, endolimacos, endolimacosis, Pulex, pulicos,
pulicosis).
In some cases, the disease name is formed by adding the suffix -osis to the full name of the parasite taxon
(eg. Hepatozoon, hepatozoonosis, Multiceps, multicepsosis, Loa, loaosis, Dermacentor. dermacentorosis,
Argas, argasosis, Acarapis, acarapisosis).
Well-established vernacular disease names, not coined from the taxonomic name of the parasite, can also
be used as alternatives to the related terms offered by SNOPAD. Examples of such names include
sleeping sickness, Chagas' disease, nagana, malaria, East Coast Fever, hydatidosis, cysticercosis,
visceral larva migrans, mange, scabies, myiasis, etc.
Disease names can also be formed by using formulas such as 'infection with', 'infection due to' or 'infection
caused by' to which the name of the causative agent is added (eg. infection caused by Echinococcus
granulosus).

Zoonotic Parasites

Copyright 2010. PEER.tamu.edu

What are zoonotic diseases

According to the CDC* a zoonotic disease is any

disease which may be passed from animals to people
or from people to animals (anthropozoonosis)

CDC: U.S. Communicable Disease Center

Zoonotic Diseases
Approximately

60% of all human

pathogens are zoonotic
75% of emerging infectious diseases
have an animal origin
Growing need for veterinarians and
physicians to work together

One Health

Causes of Zoonotic Disease

Bacteria
Fungi
Virus
Parasites

Parasites and Animals

Many

methods of parasite transmission

to people involve animals

Can you name some animal

parasites?

Vector-borne Parasites
A vector

is an agent which transfers a

parasite from one host to another
Typical parasite vectors: fleas, ticks,
mites, mosquitoes, flies, and other
insects
People become infected when a vector
picks up the parasite from an infected
animal and infects a human

Parasites carried by Vectors

Many

parasites that are carried by

vectors are often found in the blood of
humans and animals

Trypanosoma Cruzi

Causes Chagas disease.

Damage to heart, digestive tract, and brain (in
children).
Spread by the Kissing Bug,
native to South America and the southern US
The bug bites the human then defecates next to the
wound. Rubbing bite wound spreads parasite into the
wound.
Parasite can cycle from animals like armadillos,
raccoons, opossums, and foxes to bugs to humans.

Chagas Disease & The Kissing

Bug

Trypanosoma cruzi
in the blood

Dont Kiss
ME!!!

Kissing Bug found

in Texas

Babesia
Intracellular

protozoa found in red blood

cells
Spread by infected Ticks

If you play
around trees,
check your head
and body for
me!!

AVOIDING TICKS

Wear light-colored clothing to allow you to see ticks that are crawling
on your clothing.
Tuck your pants legs into your socks so that ticks cannot crawl up the
inside of your pants legs.
Apply repellants to discourage tick attachment. Repellents containing
permethrin can be sprayed on boots and clothing, and will last for
several days. Repellents containing DEET (n, n-diethyl-m-toluamide)
can be applied to the skin, but will last only a few hours before
reapplication is necessary. Use DEET with caution on children.
Application of large amounts of DEET on children has been associated
with adverse reactions.

16

AVOIDING TICKS - II
Conduct a body check upon return from potentially tick-infested areas
by searching your entire body for ticks. Use a hand-held or full-length
mirror to view all parts of your body. Remove any tick you find on your
body.
Parents should check their children for ticks, especially in the hair,
when returning from potentially tick-infested areas. Additionally, ticks
may be carried into the household on clothing and pets. Both should
be examined carefully.

17

Tick Removal:
1. Use fine-tipped tweezers
or shield your fingers with a
tissue, paper towel, or
rubber gloves. When
possible, persons should
avoid removing ticks with
bare hands.

Removal of an embedded tick using

fine-tipped tweezers.

2. Grasp the tick as close to

the skin surface as possible
and pull upward with steady,
even pressure. Do not twist
or jerk the tick; this may
cause the mouthparts to
break off and remain in the
skin.
18

3. Do not squeeze, crush, or puncture the body of the

tick because its fluids (saliva, body fluids,
gut
contents) may contain infectious
organisms.
4. After removing the tick, thoroughly disinfect the
bite site and wash your hands with soap and
water.
5. Save the tick for identification in case you become
ill. This may help your doctor make an
accurate
diagnosis. Place the tick in a
plastic bag and put it in
your freezer.
Write the date of the bite on a piece of
19
paper with a pencil and place it in the bag.

20

Haemaphysalis
bremneri mouthparts,
showing toothed,
sawlike hypostome.

Photograph copyright 2001 Steve Barker

21

Photograph copyright 2001 Steve Barker

Otobius megnini
22

Medical Importance of Ticks

1.

Dermatosis - inflammation, itching ,

swelling at site of bite

2.

Exsanguination - anemia can result from

heavy infestation

3.

Otoacariasis - auditory canal infestation,

poss. secondary infection

4.

Predispose to myiasis and infection

5.

Tick paralysis (envenomization)

6.

Pathogen transmission (virus, rickettsia,

bacteria, spirochaete, protozoa, filarial
worms)
23

Factors Accounting for High Vector

Potential of Ticks
1.

Persistent hematophagous feeders

2.

Relatively slow feeding time allows time for

pathogen transfer

3.

Typically have a wide host range

4.

Longevity increases chances of acquiring and

transmitting a pathogen

5.

Transovarial transmission of some pathogens

6.

Few natural enemies, highly sclerotized

(resistant to environmental stress)

7.

High reproductive potential - up to 18,000 eggs

and parthenogenesis in some species
24

Non-viral Tick-Borne Pathogens

Lyme Disease (Borrelia
burgdorferi)
Babesia microti (malaria-like)
Ehrlichia species
Relapsing fever (Borrelia species)
Tularemia (Francisella tularensis)
RMSF (Rickettsia rickettsii)
Tick typhus (Rickettsia sp.)
Heartwater (Cowdria
ruminantium)
25

Some Tick-Borne Pathogens

Human monocytic ehrlichiosis (HME), caused by Ehrlichia chaffeensis a
new monocytotropic ehrlichia, was discovered in 1986 and human
granulocytic ehrlichiosis (HGE), caused by the HGE agent (newly named
Anaplasma phagocytophilum), a new granulocytotropic ehrlichia, was
discovered in 1994.
In 1999 another granulocytotropic ehrlichia, E. ewingii which was
previously known as a canine pathogen has been recognized as human
pathogen. E. sennetsu (renamed to Neorickettsia sennetsu) is another
monocytotropic Ehrlichia sp. and the first human pathogen discovered in
Japan in the 1950s and recently found in Malaysia.

26

Leishmania
Unlike

Babesia and Chagas Disease,

Leishmania live in tissue and not the
blood
Spread through the bite of an infected
Sandfly*
Cutaneous
Visceral

*common on Caribbean beaches

Leishmania

Human foot

Waterborne Parasites
Spread

when humans come into contact

with water that has been contaminated
by an infected animal
Common waterborne parasites include
Giardia
Cryptosporidium

Giardia & Cryptosporidium

Giardia & Cryptosporidium

Get

from swallowing water contaminated by

another infected human or animal
Giardia is the 2nd most common parasitic
disease in people
Cryptosporidium is the most common
cause of diarrhea from swimming
Both can cause severe diarrhea
Gross!!! Dont
drink the water
your swimming
in!!!

THE PREVALENCE OF CRYPTOSPORIDIUM

OOCYSTS IN WILD BIRDS IN ZARIA, NIGERIA

BAMAIYI, P.H.1*, UMOH, J.U.2, ABDU, P.A.3, LAWAL, I.A.4

1
Department of Animal Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Adamawa State University, Mubi,
Nigeria
2
Department of Veterinary Public Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello University,
Zaria, Nigeria
3
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria, Nigeria
4
Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ahmadu
Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
*Corresponding author: phbamaiyi@yahoo.com

Introduction
Phylum: Apicomplexa
Class: Conoidasida
Sub-class: Coccidiasina
Order: Eucoccidiorida
Sub-order: Eimeriorina
Family: Cryptosporidiidae
Aetiology: Cryptosporidium parvum,
C. baileyi, C. meleagridis, C. galli

Introduction
Protozoan zoonosis gaining
prominence
Infects over 170 hosts
Worldwide distribution
Wild birds
C. baileyi, C. meleagridis implicated
in potential human infections (Plutzer
& Tomor, 2009; Qi, et al., 2011)

Life-cycle

Transmission
Feacal-oral route ( mainly food and
water)

Objective
Determine the prevalence of
Cryptosporidium in wild birds in
Zaria, Nigeria via coproculture

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Wild birds trapped into cages
132 faecal samples were collected
from wild birds in Zaria
(114'0"N/742'0"E), Nigeria
1gm of faecal sample processed
according to the method of Baxby et
al( 1984)

Safranin-methylene blue
staining technique
The slide examined- X 40 objective
and oil immersion objective
Oocysts of Cryptosporidium-spherical
to round bright orange to reddish
mass within a halo

Auramine phenol staining technique

Specimens -screened at X 50
magnification
Cryptosporidium oocysts -clearly
visible as yellowish discs against a
dark background (Casemore, et al.,
1984).

Identifications
safranin-methylene blue staining
technique +auramine phenol staining
technique =+ve
Positive slides provided by Dr. Bruce
Anderson of the University of Idaho
U.S.A. and Dr. Liisa Jokipii of
Institutum Serobacteriologicum
Universitatis, Helsinki served as
control throughout the study.

Statistical analysis
Data generated
SIGMASTAT and EPI INFO

Table 1:The prevalence of Cryptosporidium

oocysts among the different species of wild
birds sampled
Species of birds

Sample
size
41

Number
positive
1

%
Positive
2.4

Laughing doves (Streptopelia senegalensis)

37

5.4

Mourning doves (Streptopelia decipiens)

15

Village weavers (Ploceus cucullatus)

28

14.3

Brown babblers (Turdoides plebejus)

Black crakes (Limnocorax flavirostra)

Red bishops (Euplectes orix)

Bush fowls (Francolinus bicalcaratus)

132

Speckled pigeons (Columba guinea)

Total

5.3
P>0.05

Plate 1: Scanned photomicrograph of Cryptosporidium

oocysts isolated from a wild bird using safraninmethylene blue staining technique (X 40)

Discussion

Wild birds aerial water pollution

Bird migrations
Birds no difference due to similarities
Low sample collection
Cryptosporidiosis vs HIV AIDS

Conclusion
Cryptosporidium infection in wild
birds in Zaria, Nigeria
Zoonotic implications

How Do People Get Parasites

Methods of Parasite
Transmission
Insect

I need to
WASH MY
HANDS!!!

bites
Animal feces
Handling raw meat and fish
Handling cat litter boxes
Contaminated fruits and vegetables
Infected food handlers
Contaminated water
Contact with an infected person

Broad Categories of Transmission

Vectorborne

(insects)

Waterborne
Fecal

Oral Transmission
Contaminated Meat

Fecal-Oral Transmission
Most

common way people become

infected with zoonotic parasites
Parasites are spread to humans when
they ingest the eggs from the feces of an
infected animal
I dont feel
so good
Parasites spread by fecal oral
transmission generally live in the
intestinal tract

Spread by Fecal Oral Transmission

Hookworms
Roundworms
Hydatid

Disease
Toxoplasmosis

Hookworms & Roundworms

They are like

monsters!!!!

Hookworms & Roundworms

Carried

by dogs and

cats
Kids often get
infected from playing
in sand boxes which
animals have
defecated
Or by putting toys in
their mouth which
have been on the
ground

Hookworms
Can

penetrate the
skin and gain entry
into the human body
Bare feet are a
common route of
entry
Wearing shoes is one of the
best ways to prevent
parasites from entering your
feet!!!

Hydatid Disease
After

Humans consume the eggs passed

by dogs the worms can form huge cysts
in the body

Toxoplasmosis

How many have heard

that pregnant women
shouldnt clean cat litter
boxes?
That is because of the
potential for them to
contract Toxoplasmosis
which can cause them to
lose their unborn child.

Toxoplasmosis
Even

though it is commonly associated

with pregnancy and litter boxes,
toxoplasmosis is more commonly
transmitted through undercooked meat
According to the CDC toxoplasmosis is
the 3rd leading cause of foodborne
Order your
related deaths in the US
food to be
cooked all the
way!!

Contaminated Meat
Meat

can be contaminated with harmful

bacteria and can also contain parasitic
cysts which may infect people.
Common Parasites Found in Meat
Toxoplasmosis
Trichinella
Taenia
Gnathostomosis

Trichinosis & Taenia

Both

caused by
eating cysts in
undercooked pork or
beef
Incidence rate has
decreased with
better animal
management and
slaughter protocol
Fully cook your
meat!

Cysticercosis

If

a person
consumes Taenia
eggs they can
develop cysts in their
brain!

Gnathostomosis
Similar

to Taenia and Trichonosis, but

gnathostomosis is found in raw fish
What area do you think this disease is
most common?
Asia

Gnathostoma spinigerum

Summary
Zoonotic

parasites have many routes of

transmission to people
Vectors
Water
Fecal

Contamination
Infected Meat

So How Can You Protect

Yourself?

Preventing Zoonotic Parasites

Brainstorm

them

some ways we can prevent

Always wash your hands

Keep sand boxes covered
Wear shoes
Pick up animal feces when possible
Dont drink untreated water
Cook meat thoroughly

References
http://www.dpd.cdc.gov/DPDx/default.ht

m
http://cal.vet.upenn.edu/projects/dxendo
par/index.html
www.nih.gov
www.nsf.gov
www.floridahealthfinder.gov