FACTORY ESCAPE GAME

Trypanosoma cyclops Escape Room

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Presented by Ajah Tolbert

THE Assignment

You have entered a dark and unknown world from which you have to get out before it's too late and you will be locked in forever. You must answer each question correctly in order to complete each mission.

THE base

What is Trypanosoma cyclops?

• Trypanosoma cyclops is a pigmented trypanosome that can be found in Malaysian primates and Australian terrestrial leeches.
• Trypanosomes are a group of protozoan eukaryotes that are parasites of humans and livestock.
• Some of he species of trypanosomes can cause very serious diseases in humans and animals like:

- African sleeping sickness- Chagas disease- Surra - Nagana.

Trypanosoma cyclops

Chagas Disease

• Known as American trypanosomiasis,
• A potentially life-threatening parasitic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cyclops
• Mainly found in Central and South America, as well as Mexico.

Distribution of Chagas disease

click the picture to expand

African Sleeping Disease

• African trypanosomiasis is also known as sleeping sickness or human African trypanosomiasis (HAT).
• A disease caused by a parasite.
• Humans can get this parasite when an infected Tsetse fly bites them.
• Symptoms include fatigue, high fever, headaches, and muscle aches. If the disease is not treated, it can cause death.

Tsetse fly

QUESTION 1/3

Protozoan parasite

What type of organism does Trypanosoma cyclops have?

Double-celled

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QUESTION 2/3

21

How many countries in Latin America is Chagas disease found in?

19

QUESTION 3/3

Epidemic

Is Chagas disease an endemic or an epidemic in Guatemala and Venezuela?

Endemic

THE base

How does trypanosoma cyclops cause the African sleeping disease?

• The parasites eventually cross the blood-brain barrier and invade the central nervous system, causing neurological disturbances that can lead to death.
• If untreated, the disease can cause a coma, which is how it got the name, "sleeping sickness".
• An estimation of 60-70 million people in 36 sub-Saharan African countries are at risk of infection.

How does Trypanosoma cause Chagas disease?

• Also known as the "kissing bug"
• The parasites enter the body when the person instinctvely smears the bug's feces or urine into the bite, sore, the eyes or the mouth.
• Scratching or rubbing the bite helps the parasites enter your body. Once in your body, the parasites multiply and spread.

Chagas Disease Bug

Chagas Disease Acute Phase Symptoms in Humans

This phase lasts about two months after infection, and symptoms are usually mild or non-specific. They can include:

• Fever
• Fatigue
• Body aches
• Headaches
• Rash
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Swelling or sore near eyes

Chagas Disease Chronic Phase

During this phase, the parasites are mainly hidden in the heart and digestive muscles. Symptoms may disappear for as long as 10 to 20 years or more after the acute phase. If left untreated, Chagas disease can cause serious intestinal and heart problems, such as: - Heart failure - Enlargement of the esophagus (megaesophagus) - Enlargement of the colon (megacolon) - Altered heart rate or rhythm - Sudden death

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QUESTION 1/3

Kissing bug

Chagas disease is known as what type of bug?

Rash bug

Eye bug

QUESTION 2/3

Chronic phase

What is the first phase of the Chagas disease?

Acute phase

Mid phase

QUESTION 3/3

2 months

About how long after the acute phase does the infection last?

11 years

6-8 months

the base

How does Trypanosoma cyclops evade the immune system?

- Antigenic variation The parasite periodically switches its major surface protein, the variant surface glycoprotein (VSG), which helps it survive and evade the host's humoral immune response.- Macrophage activation Trypanosome components can activate macrophages, which can dampen pro-inflammatory responses.- T-cell suppression Trypanosome components can suppress T-cell proliferation.

Life cycle Forms

Trypanosomes alternate between intracellular proliferative forms and nonproliferative, infective extracellular trypomastigotes, which are associated with adaptive changes in gene expression. These factors are responsible for the wide range of host cells targeted by the parasite, mainly nonphagocytic cells.

click the video to see the life cycle of Chagas disease.

Find the Chagas disease bug to keep moving forward.

QUESTION 1/3

Liver

In the video, what organ did the parasite spread to first?

Heart

Kidney

QUESTION 2/3

Antigenic variation

Which of the following can dampen pro-inflammatory responses?

T-cell suppression

Macrophage activation

QUESTION 3/3

Life cycle forms

which of the following helps the parasite survive and evade the host's humoral immune response?

Antigenic variation

T-cell suppression

the base

Chagas Disease in Animals

Animals can become infected by living or sleeping in areas where the bugs live, such as in cracks and holes in old buildings or homes, or in wooded areas. Dogs can also become infected by eating the feces of infected insects or licking bite wounds.

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Symptoms of Chagas Disease in Dogs

Dog with Chagas disease

• Getting more tired on walks or when playing.
• Weakness and/or collapse.
• Bloating/swelling of the abdomen (belly)
• Fainting.
• Coughing and difficulty breathing.
• Symptoms of Chagas disease in dogs can appear within weeks of infection (acute) or months to years later (chronic)

QUESTION 1/3

Weakness

Bloating

What are the symptoms of Chagas disease in dogs?

Fainting

All of the above

QUESTION 2/3

True

True or False: Symptoms of Chagas disease in dogs can appear within weeks of infection

False

QUESTION 3/3

Kidneys

Heart

In dogs, Chagas disease primarily affects its ______.

Liver

Stomach

the base

How does Trypanosoma cyclops first evade the immune system?

- An increase is activated T lymphocytes and the consequent release of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines has been observed in chronic Chagas disease. Most patients with the chronic form of the disease remain asymptomatic. - Chagas disease is one of the world's leading causes of cardiomyopathy.

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How does Trypanosoma cyclops first evade the immune system?

In the early stages of infection, the host initiates a strong Th1 immune response. Neutrophils and NK cells in the skin are the first to respond to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) like VSG and CpG DNA. However, these immune reactions can actually contribute to immunopathology disorders and don't always lead to protection.

QUESTION 1/3

True

True or False: If Chagas disease goes untreated it can result in death.

False

QUESTION 2/3

True or False: Neutrophils and Natural Killer cells are the first ones to respond to the immune system.

True

False

QUESTION 3/3

Auto immune disease

Chagas disease is one of the world's leading causes of ______.

Cardiomyopathy

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