1. INTRO OF PARASITOLOGY

• Parasitology


  The study of parasites and parasitic diseases
• Types of parasites and hosts

  • Symbiosis
  • Parasitism
  • Ecto and endoparasite
  • Commensalism
  • Mutualism
  • Phoresis
• Symbiosis


  An interaction between two organisms where at least one benefits
• Parasitism


  An interaction where one organism (the parasite) benefits while the other (the host) loses
• Ectoparasite


  A parasite that lives outside the body of the host
• Endoparasite


  A parasite that lives inside the body of the host
• Obligate parasite


  A parasite that is physiologically and metabolically dependent on the host and cannot exist without a parasitic life in the host
• Facultative parasite


  A parasite that can live a parasitic or free-living existence when the opportunity arises
• Many parasites are causative agents of major public health problems in the world
• Prevalence of parasites in the world

  • Ascariasis (1.5 billion)
  • Hookworms (1.3 billion)
  • Trichuriasis (1 billion)
  • Filariasis (657 million)
  • Malaria (500 million)
  • Schistosomiasis (270 million)
  • Amoebiasis (50 million)
  • Taeniasis (50 million)
  • Chagas disease (15 million)
• Parasites cause untold suffering and death in the world today
• Reasons for parasitic infections in this country

  • Increased travel
  • Low understanding
  • Immigrants
• Medical parasitology is the study of parasites that infect humans, the diseases they produce, and the various diagnosis and prevention methods
• Parasites are organisms that infect other living beings, live in or on the body of another host, and obtain shelter and nourishment from it
• The host is the organism which harbors the parasite, and the parasite multiplies or undergoes development in the host
• Human parasites may be either unicellular microbes (protozoa) or larger organisms (metazoa), some of which may be many meters in size
• Lymphatic filariasis is a type of parasitic disease
• Amoebiasis and liver abscess are types of parasitic diseases
• Ascariasis is a type of parasitic disease
• Malaria is a type of parasitic disease
• Hepatosplenic schistosomiasis is a type of parasitic disease