Description of the Pathogens The family Anaplasmataceae is classified in the order Rickettiales and currently contains five genera and two candidate genera of obligate intracellular bacteria. Four of the genera contain members that are known to infect humans: Anaplasma ,…
Acknowledgments The authors would like to acknowledge the valuable contributions of the late Dr. Martin S. Wolfe to this chapter. Abstract Infection with Entamoeba histolytica is a leading parasitic cause of morbidity and mortality in developing nations and is an…
Abstract Background Parasites are an important cause of human morbidity and mortality worldwide. They include a diverse array of single-celled eukaryotic organisms (protozoans), multicellular worms (helminths), and arthropods that live in or on the human body and can cause mild…
Introduction A variety of common and uncommon structures may be identified in histologic and cytologic preparations that bear a striking resemblance to parasites, fungi, bacteria, or viral cytopathic changes. These infectious mimics may confuse the examiner and thus lead to…
Introduction The protozoa that infect humans encompass a vast spectrum of organisms from several different phyla. Although all are eukaryotic, single-celled, microscopic, and nonphotosynthetic, they exhibit diverse life cycles, means of infectivity, types of motility, pathogenicity, and location within the…
Introduction The term dematiaceous is used to describe fungi that are dark in coloration, typically olive colored, dark brown, or black, due to the presence of melanin or melanin-like pigment. The dematiaceous fungi are a large and diverse group and…
Introduction The Papillomaviridae, Parvoviridae, and Polyomaviridae are three families of small, nonenveloped, DNA viruses. Despite their structural and taxonomic similarities, these viruses infect different tissue types and cause very different human diseases. This chapter examines the viruses in each family…
Diagnosis of Infectious Diseases: An Integrated Approach The diagnosis of infectious diseases ranges from straightforward clinical diagnoses to those that are possible only with the use of advanced molecular methods. Between these two extremes are the many infectious diseases for…
Key Points Accurate diagnosis of parasitic infection usually depends on macroscopic or microscopic examination of specimens that have been appropriately collected and preserved. Thick and thin blood smears are useful for detecting and characterizing organisms found in the blood. Fecal…