PARASITOLOGY

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The aim of course is to enable students to:

• Understand and describe in detail the life cycles of parasites, pathogenicity, epidemiology, diagnosis and treatment of parasitic diseases
• Know and embed the knowledge about the host-parasite relationship, biology, ways of controlling vectors, intermediates and final parasite hosts
• Know significant morphological characteristics for the identification of species and parasites’ life stage
• Perform laboratory classic diagnostic methods in order to detect parasites in biological fluids, tissues and organs
• Acquire specialized skills in advanced diagnostic molecular and immunological methods
• Present and interpret the diagnostic results
• Project planning and management

 

The scope of the course is to introduce students to

• the basic principles of biology of parasites and parasitic diseases
• the classification and terminology of parasites
• the life cycle of parasites
• the transmission ways of parasites
• the geographical distribution and epidemiology
• the treatment and prevention of parasitic diseases and the clinical symptoms are described.
• the arthropod chapter (morphology, biology, ways to control).
• Emerging issues such as the rise in parasitic infections in Greece due to migration of populations, the emergence of new parasites, antigenic interference of parasites and resistance to antiparasitic drugs, the emergence of parasitic infections in immunosuppressive patients, the incidence of parasitic infections in immunosuppressive patients, the interaction of parasite-host disease and research to create vaccines so that the student has up-to-date information and an integrated knowledge
• An important purpose of the course is the proper execution of diagnostic methods for the detection and identification of parasites by conventional microscopic methods, improved serodiagnostic techniques and molecular detection methods for parasitic DNA / RNA.

 

SYLLABUS

Theory
1. Introduction to parasitology, terminology and parasites taxonomy groups. Subregnum Protozoa, Subphylum Sarcodina Enteric Amoeba of Humas, Pathogenic Free Living Amoebae (Morphology, Life cycle, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment, Pathophysiology, Prevention)
2. Protozoa, Subphylum Mastigophora of digestive and reproductive systems ((Giardia lamblia, Dientamoeba fragilis, Trichomonas hominis, Trichomonas vaginalis, Chilomastix mesnili) (Morphology, Life cycle, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment, Pathophysiology, Prevention)
3. Protozoa, Blood and Tissue Protozoa. Hemoflagellates (Trypanosoma spp, Leishmania spp) (Morphology, Life cycle, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment, Pathophysiology, Prevention)
4. Phylum Sporozoa (Apicomplexa) Subclass Coccidia . Genus Plasmodioum -Human Malaria Parasites (P. malariae, P. falciparum, P. ovale, P.vivax). Morphology, Life cycle, Life cycle variations, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Chemotheraphy, Pathophysiology, Prevention, Immunity – Vaccines in preparation
5. Blood and Tissue Protozoa: Other Apicomplexans Subclass Coccidia, Babesia spp (Life cycle, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment) Toxoplasma gondii (Life cycle, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment) Sarcocystis spp (Life cycle, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment)
6. Cryptosporidium parvum (Life cycle, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment), Cyclospora cayetanensis, Isospora belli spp (Life cycle, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment)
7. Phylum Cilliophora (Balantidium coli) Life cycle, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment
8. Subregnum Metazoa, Phylum Nematoda. General characteristics of Nematoda Intestinal Nematodes (Ascaris lubricoides, Enrerobious vermicularis, Trichuris trichiura, Strongyloides stercoralis, Necator americanus and Angylostoma duodenale, Trichinella spiralis) Structure of the adult, larva(e) eggs. (Life cycle, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment)
9. Blood and Tissue Nematodes Life cycle, Periodicity, PART I Filarial WormsI (Wuchereriabancrofti, Bragia malayi, Onchocerca volvulus, Loa loa Mansonella spp, Dracunculus medinensis) Life cycle, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment)
10. Blood and Tissue Nematodes PART II Dirofillaria spp, Anisakis, Toxocara canis, Toxocara
cati(Life cycle, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment)
11. Phylum Platyhelminthes Class Cestoida. Morphology Physiology. Intestinal Tapeworms Taenia solium, Taenia saginata, Echinococcosis spp (Life cycle, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment)
12. Class Tremadoda. Schistosoma spp Opistorchis Felineous Clonorchis sinesnisFasciola hepatica, Fasciolopsis buski, Heterophyes heterophyes, Paragonimus westwermani (Life cycle, Epidemiology, Symptomatology and Diagnosis, Treatment)
13. Phylum Arthropods. Significance of Arthropods as vectors. General Structural Features. Biting Dipterans. Non Biting Dipterans. Fleas, Lice,. The Acarines. (Ticks, Mite)

Laboratory courses
1. Definitions: Parasite, Intermediate and Final Host, Vector, Carrier, Parasitic diseases, Parasitological diagnosis. Lab Parasitology Safety and Equipment, Quality Control Procedures for the Diagnostic Parasitology Laboratory. Use of Microscopy
2. Laboratory diagnosis of intestinal parasites. Fresh specimen collection (Collection times, Type of specimen, Specimen Stability, Preservation of Specimens). Macroscopic and Microscopic Examination of Fecal Specimen. Examination for Pinworm (Cellulose Tape Preparations, Anal Swaps).
3. General Information on Fixation and Staining Procedure. Permanent stained Smears. Trichrome Staining Technique
4. Concentration Methods. Sedimentation Procedures. Flotation Procedures
5. Procedures for Detection Blood Parasites. Preparation of of Thick and Thin Blood Films. The use of fluorescence enhancement to improve the microscopic diagnosis of falciparum malaria. identification of microfilariae in a blood smear by microscopic examination.
6. Introduction to Immunology of Parasites. Detection of parasitic infections using ELISA .Case Study: Detection of Anti-Toxoplasma gondii Antibodies using Solid Phase ELISA
7. Detection by Immunofluorescence of Antibodies to Parasitic Agents. Case Study: Detection of Anti-Leishmania infantum Antibodies using IFAT
8. Western Blotting tests in the detection of IgG antibodies to parasites. Case Study: Detection of Anti-Echinococcus granulosus Antibodies using Western Blot analysis
9. Introduction to Molecular Parasitology. Molecular Testing for Parasite Detection and Disease Diagnosis. Parasitic DNA extraction (from cultured parasites). DNA electrophoresis
10. PCR for diagnosis of parasitic infections. Case study: PCR detection and identification of Leishmania infantum.
11. PCR Products Gel Electrophoresis. How to Interpret DNA Gel Electrophoresis Results
12. Real-time PCR assay for quantification of parasite burden. Case Study: Real-Time PCR for Quantitative Detection of Toxoplasma gondii
13. Parasite Recovery, Culture Methods, Animal Inoculation. Case study: Balb/c inoculation with Toxoplasma gondii.

 
Laboratory exercises are carried out in the lab Parasitology equipped with the necessary equipment-reagents-staining and training microscopes. Real Time PCR is carried out in collaboration with the Molecular Parasitology Laboratory of the Hellenic Pasteur Institute.

 

The teaching of laboratory courses is supported by

i. Animations that present the principles of methods and have been created by the master of the lesson in particular for the Lab Parasitology, as well as
ii. Videos presentation of the immunological and molecular methods created by the Diagnostic Department of the Hellenic Pasteur Institute.