General parasitology
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2021/2022
- Teacher
- BAHRAM SAYYAF DEZFULI
- Credits
- 6
- Didactic period
- Primo Semestre
- SSD
- VET/06
Training objectives
- The teaching target of general parasitology is helping Biotechnology students to grasp the morphological features, life cycle and main harm of the parasites to human and other animals. The course will provide information about general and human parasitology and on different aspects of zoonosis. This course provides an overview of zoonotic pathogen emergence with an emphasis on the role of wildlife. Moreover, the course will deal with biology and the strategy for control of anthropozoonosis of the animals.
This course will provide following knowledge to the student:
- the terms and key concepts of general parasitology
- le features of most important taxon of parasite, i.e., protozoan, helminths, arthropods
- different type of hosts, the damage caused by parasites and the immune responses of host
- the ways of transmission of pathogens
- the main strategy of prevention and care of parasitic diseases and zoonosis
- life cycle of some of human parasites
- Climate change and parasites
Thanks to the course, the student will obtain the capacity to:
- recognize different type of parasites
- figure out the role of animals as reservoir and agent for transmission of pathogenic organisms
- show the principal strategies for prevention and/or avoid the diffusion of parasitic diseases
- evaluate the effect of travelling and world globalization in transmission of parasitic diseases and resistant to the drugs. Prerequisites
- There is no prepeuducity. Nevertheless, it will assume that the student has basic knowledge about the biology: cell, animals, interactions between living organisms.
Course programme
- Definition of the symbiosis, mutualisms, commensalisms, parasitism. General and human parasitology. Common terms about parasite: host, intermediate host, final host, reservoir host, paratenic host, life cycle, infective stage. Terms used in parasitology (prevalence, intensity and abundance). Antiquity of parasites. Trophic adaptation, physiology and morphology of the parasites. Specificity of parasites. Origin, diffusion, and life cycles of some human parasites. Host defence reaction: natural defence, genes of reaction, innate immunity. Parasitism and immunodeficiency. Importance of parasitic diseases.
Epidemiology models in parasitology. The main protozoan parasites of human (Trichomonas vaginalis, Giardia duodenalis, Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium falciparum, Cryptosporidium spp.). The main Platyhelminthes and Nematodes which cause human parasitosis (Fasciola hepatica, Taenia solium e T. saginata, Echinococcus granulosus, Diphyllobothrium latum, Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichinella spiralis, Enterobius vermicularis, Anisakis sp., Toxocara canis e T. cati). Arthropods of public health importance (Sarcoptes scabiei, Ixodes ricinus, Pediculus humanus). Phylum Acanthocephala. Climate change and parasites. Didactic methods
- Didactic methods are mainly based on front lectures, as important tool for synthesis and development of the formative targets. This tool is focused on slides analyzed during lectures and on related books and publications advised to the student to lead the formative course.
To deal with the emergency situation COVID-19 and to limit the inconvenience of students, the "didactic methods" may take place in different ways than described in this teaching schedule. Learning assessment procedures
- A text with 21 closed questions with 4 answers each and each query with 1.5 point will verify the knowledge of the three main parts of the course programme:
- Several questions will be asked on symbiosis, the definition of parasitism, different type of parasites and hosts, the relationship between host-parasite, damages of the parasite to the host, defence mechanisms of the host. For this part a maximum of 10.5 points will be assigned.
- The description of the life cycle of several parasites important for public health. For this part a maximum of 10.5 points will be assigned.
- Some general and specific queries on zoonosis and risk from animals which are human food will be provided. For this part a maximum of 10.5 points will be assigned.
To pass the exam it is necessary to get at least 18 point for 12 correct answers. If the final mark is below 18, it is necessary to repeat the exam. Duration of the exam is 23 minutes. Reference texts
- Modern Parasitology_ 2nd Edition, Editor F. E. G. Cox, Wiley-Blackwell.-Wildlife and Emerging Zoonotic Diseases_ The Biology, Circumstances and Consequences of Cross-Species Transmission. Editors_ J. E. Childs, J. S. Mackenzie, Springer_
