Biological associations and symbioses: mutualism, commensalism and parasitism. Evolution of symbioses and parasitism. Historical epidemiology. Relationships of hosts-parasites –vectors; intermediate hosts. Cycles, epidemiology and pathology of the animal parasites of humans. Zooflagellates, Entamoebae, Coccidia. Malaria disease, human Plasmodium. Platelminta Digenea and Cestoda. Nematoda: preadaptation to parasitism and cycles of parasite species. Irudinea. Parasite and vector Arthropoda.
textbooks:
Ivo De Carneri, Parassitologia generale e umana, Ambrosiana, Milano.
Werner Frank & Johannes Lieder, Atlante di parassitologia per medici, veterinari, biologi.
The textbooks are at disposal of students at the Scientific Library ofthe University of Florence: Biblioteca di Scienze, Biologia animale (chiedinbiblioteca@sba.unifi.it).
Learning Objectives
Knolewdge acquired: Biological associations and evolution of parasitism, hosts, parasites, vectors and their relationships. Detailed knowledge, at species level, of biological cycles, epidemiology and pathology of human parasites.
Competence acquired: Morphological identification and diagnostics of human and animal parasites using optical microscopy.
Skills acquired (at the end of the course): Understanding of the evolution of parasite-host-vector relationships. Understanding of epidemiology of human parasites, their geographical distribution and the social relevance of parasites. Understanding of issues and problems related to parasite diseases, including prophylaxis.
Prerequisites
Courses to be used as requirements (required and/or recommended)
Courses required: Zoology, Ecology
Courses recommended: Cytology and Histology, Invertebrate Zoology, Entomology, Ethology, Biological invasions, Climatology and Geography
Teaching Methods
Total hours of the course (including the time spent in attending lectures, seminars, private study, examinations, etc...): 150
Hours reserved to private study and other indivual formative activities: 102
Numero di ore relative alle attività in aula: 48 Contact hours for: Lectures (hours): 48
During the lectures, videos are shown on parasites of epidemiological relevance; discussions and readings are ecouraged on issues regariding globalization, epidemiology and prevention of parasite diseases; microscopic and macroscopic samples are illustrated of parasite animals; the particiation to seminars regarding epidemiology issues is encouraged.
Further information
Frequency of lectures, practice and lab:
Strongly recommended
Teaching tools:
Parasites samples to be studied at the microscope; videos on cycles and epidemiology of human parasites (also at disposal of students in the Library of Sciences - Animal Biology)
Office hours:
on Tuesdays, 10-12h, via Romana 17, upon phone call or e-mail
Type of Assessment
Exam modality: oral test
Identification and morphological diagnostic of human parasites; oral verification of knowledge acquired, of critical and inter-disciplinary synthesis capacity.
Course program
Course Contents (detailed programme):
Definition of biological associations and symbioses: mutualism, commensalism and parasitism. Evolution of symbioses and parasitism. Historical epidemiology: human populations and parasites. Adaptation of parasites and contra-adaptation of hosts: an escalation. Biodiversity and parasites; pesticides and parasites. How parasites find their hosts and hosts prevent parasites; learning of host characteristics. Accidental parasites: Naegleria. Host manipulation by parasites. Relationships of parasite-host-vector; role and importance of intermediate hosts.
Zooflagellata: Trypanosomatidae and trypanosome disease. Trypanosoma bruces brucei, T. b. gambiense, T. b. rhodesiense, T. cruzi. Leshmainia tropica, L. donovani, L. infantum, L. braziliensis. Polymorphismus and transmission of Trypanosamatidae parasites. Polymastigophora: Trychomonas vaginalis, Giardia lamblia. Entamoeba: Entamoba histolytica and other commensal Entamoeba. Apicomplexa: Cycles of Coccidia: Isospora and Eimeria. Toxoplasma gondii and toxoplasmosis. Malaria disease: trasmission and epidemiology. Cycle of Plasmodium and evolution. The human Plasmodia: Plasmodium falciparum, P. malariae, P. vivax, P. ovale. Morphological identification and diagnostics with the microscope.
Morphological and physiological adaptation of Trematoda and evolution. Digenea Trematoda: Fasciolopsis buski, Fasciola hepatica, Dicrocoelium dendriticum, Chlonorchis sinensis, Opistorchis felineus. Bilarziosis: Schistosoma mansoni , S. japonicum, S. haematobium. Cestoda: evolution and adaptation. Cycles and epidemiology of di Diphyllobotrium latum, Taenia solium, T. saginata, Dipylidium caninum, Hymenolepis nana, H. diminuta, Echinococcus granulosus, E. multilocularis. Echinococcosis disease.
Nematoda: preadaptation to parasitism; reproduction and cycles. Nematode parasite of humans: Trichuris trichiura,
Trichinella spiralis, Ascaris lumbricoides, Enterobius vermicularis, Ankilostoma duodenale, Necator americanus. Filarioidea: Dracunculus medinensis, Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malati, Onchocerca volvulus, Loa loa.
Irudinea. Arthropoda as parasites and vectors. Acara: Ixodes ricinus, Argas persicus, Sarcoptes scabiaei, Demodex folliculorum. Insecta as haematophaga parasites and vectors.
Laboratory: morphological identification of human parasites with the optical microscope.