Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
It is commonly agreed that the term “amoebia-
sis,” with no qualifiers in the name, refers exclusively to the intestinal infection
by Entamoeba histolytica. Encephalitides caused by members of Class
Amoebozoa (Acanthamoeba and Balamuthia) are named granulomatous amoe-
bic encephalitis. Encephalitis caused by Naegleria fowleri (not an amoeba) is
called primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, an accepted misnomer. Naegleria
is a member of class Percolozoa (Chapter 18). A better name for the
Naeglerian disease would be primary percolozoan meningoencephalitis.
Chapter 24, Archaeplastida
Chapter 22, Amoebozoa
Kleptoplast should not be confused with
the similar-sounding word, kinetoplast. A kleptoplast is a chloroplast that has
been stolen by another organism. A kinetoplast, uniquely found in members
of Class Kinetoplastida, is a clump of DNA composed of copies of the mito-
chondrial genome, tucked inside a mitochondrion.
Chapter 27, Nematoda
Astute readers will notice that the prefix “trich”
appears often within this chapter on Class Nematoda: Trichostrongylus,
Trichocephalida, Trichinellidae, Trichinella, and Trichuris. A wide assort-
ment of organisms, diseases, and medical terms contain the root “trich” (pro-
nounced trick) and produce similar-sounding terms (i.e., homonyms). If you
want to avoid confusing one disease with another, it is best to “come to
terms” with this “trichy” nomenclature. The suffix “trich” comes from the
Greek “thrix,” meaning hair. Various unrelated organisms with a hair-like
appendage, are provided with the “trich” suffix. Likewise, medical condi-
tions of the hair are provided the same suffix: trichosis is any pathologic
condition of hair; trichilemmoma is a tumor of hair, trichobezoar is the medi-
cal term for a hairball, trichotillomania is compulsive hair pulling. Words
that sound somewhat like “trich” include trachoma (caused by the bacteria,
Chlamydia trachomatis) and trachea (the windpipe). In addition to
Trichomonas, there are several unrelated “trich” organisms that cause disease
in humans: Trichinella, Trichomonas, Trichomonad, and Trichophyton.
Other “trich” diseases include: Trichostrongylosis trichinosis, trichuriasis,
trichomoniasis, trichiasis (everted eyelashes that touching the cornea or con-
junctiva, often a post-infectious condition).
Chapter 27, Nematoda
When toxocara migrate through viscera, the
condition is called visceral larva migrans. When toxocara migrate through an
eye, the condition is called ocular larva migrans. When toxocara migrate
through the skin, the condition is NOT called cutaneous larva migrans: this
term is reserved for cutaneous manifestations of Ancylostoma brasiliense.
Chapter 27, Nematoda
Readers should not confuse “toxocara” with the
similar-sounding “toxoplasma” (Class Apicomplexa, Chapter 19), a problem
aggravated when clinicians use the abbreviated form “toxo,” referring to
“toxoplasmosis.”
Chapter 27, Nematoda
Readers should avoid confusion by the lay-
terms for Enterobius infection. In the United States, Enterobius vermicularis
is known as pinworm; in the UK, it is known as threadworm. To add to the
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