30 1 GeneralAspectsofMedicalMicrobiology
Continued:OtherZoonoses
Helminthiczoonoses Cercarialdermatitis;clonorchiosis;cysticercosis;dicro-
coeliosis;diphyllobothriosis;echinococcosis;fasciolosis;
hymenolepiosis;larvamigransinterna;opisthorchiosis;
paragonimosis;schistosomosis(bilharziosis);taeniosis;
toxocariosis;trichinellosis.
Zoonosescaused Fleainfestation;larvamigransexterna;miteinfestation;
byarthropods sandfleainfestation.
SourcesofInfection
Everyinfectionhasasource(Table 1. 11 ).Theprimarysourceofinfectionis
definedasthelocationatwhichthepathogenispresentandreproduces.Sec-
ondarysourcesofinfectionareinanimateobjects,materials,orthirdper-
sonscontributingtotransmissionofpathogensfromtheprimarysourceto
disposedpersons.
Table 1. 11 PrimarySourcesofInfection
Sourceofinfection Explanation
Infectedperson Themostimportantsource;asarule,pathogensare
excretedbytheorgansystemthroughwhichtheinfection
entered;therearesomeexceptions
Carriersduringincuba-
tion
Excretionduringincubationperiod;typicalofmanyviral
diseases
Carriersinconvales-
cence
Excretionafterthediseasehasbeenovercome;typicalof
entericsalmonelloses
Chroniccarriers Continuedexcretionforthreeormoremonths(evenyears)
afterdiseasehasbeenovercome;typicaloftyphoidfever
Asymptomaticcarriers Theycarrypathogenicgermsonskinormucosawithout
developing“infection”
Animalcarriers Diseasedorhealthyanimalsthatexcretepathogenicgerms
Environment Soil,plants,water;primarysourceofmicroorganismswith
naturalhabitatinthesebiotopes
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Kayser, Medical Microbiology © 2005 Thieme