The aim of the course is provide the student with skills on the characteristics, biological cycles and  transmission modalities of the main protists and parasitic animals of the man for the purpose of their identification and the definition of strategies to prevent and / or control the spread of parasitic diseases. 

General part.

Parasitism as a symbiosis. Ectoparasitism and endoparasitism: evolution of morphological, physiological and reproductive adaptations of parasites.Parasitic specificity. Pathogenic action of parasites. Host defense reactions: natural defenses, resistance genes, acquired immunity. Parasitosis and immunodeficiencies. Importance of parasitic diseases. Origin, spread and biological cycle of the main human parasites. Zoonoses.

Human parasitic protists.

Zooflagellates: Trichomonas vaginalis, Giardia duodenalis, Trypanosoma spp., Leishmania spp. Sarcodina: Naegleria, Acanthamoeba, Balamuthia,Entamoeba, Endolimax, Iodamoeba. Apicomplexa: Isospora, Toxoplasma gondii, Plasmodium spp.

Human parasitic animals.

Phylum Platyhelminthes. Trematoda: Fasciola hepatica, Clonorchis sinensis, Schistosoma spp.  Cestoda: Taenia solium, T. saginata, T. multiceps, Echinococcus spp., Dipylidium caninum, Diphyllobothrium latum, Hymenolepis. Phylum Nematodes: Trichuris trichiura, Trichinella spp., Dioctophyma renale, Angiostrongylus spp., Ascaris lumbricoides, Anisakis spp., Pseudoterranova spp., Toxocara spp., Ancylostoma spp., Necator americanus, Tricostrongylus spp., Strongyloides stercoralis, Enterobius vermicularis. Dracunculus medinensis, Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia spp., Mansonella spp. Onchocerca volvulus, Loa loa, Dirofilaria spp. Arthropods of health interest. Acari: Ixodes ricinus, Rhipicephalus sanguineus, Argas reflexus, Ornithodoros spp., Dermanyssus gallinae, Varroa jacobsoni, Trombicula autumnalis, Demodex folliculorum, Pyemotes ventricosus, Sarcoptes scabiei, Psoroptes spp., Glycyphagus domesticus, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Insecta. Anoplura: Pediculus humanus, Pediculus capitis, Pthyrius pubis. Aphaniptera: Pulex spp., Xenopsylla cheopis, Ctenocephalides canis e C. felis, Tunga penetrans. Heteroptera: Cimex lectularius, Panstrongylus megistus, Triatoma spp. Rhodnius prolixu,  Reduvius personatus. Diptera: Culex spp. Anopheles spp., Aedes spp., Simulium spp., Culicoides spp., Phlebotomus spp., Lutzomyia longipalpis, Chrysops spp., Symphoromyia spp., Stomoxys calcitrans, Tabanus spp., Glossina spp., Crataerina pallida, Lipoptena spp., Hippobosca equine, Calliphora spp., Lucilia spp., Cochliomyia hominivorax, Cordylobia antropophaga e C. rodhaini, Oestrus ovis, Sarcophaga spp.  Dermatobia hominis, Musca spp., Fannia spp. Blattodea: Blatta orientalis, Supella longipalpa, Blattella germanica, Periplaneta americana. Lepidoptera: Thaumetopoea pityocampa, Hylesia metabus. Coleotteri: Paederus riparius, Lytta vesicatoria. Hymenoptera: Scleroderma domesticum.

Notes on non-parasitic animals of health interest.

There are no prerequisites

D1- KNOWLEDGE AND CAPACITY OF UNDERSTANDING:  in order to pass the exam, the student must prove to have acquired an advanced level of theoretical knowledge in the field of parasite biology and show that they know identify the parasites treated in the course.

D2-ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING: the student must demonstrate that he had acquired the abilities to use the knowledge independently for understand and describe the adaptations and dynamics of parasites and to recognize the diseases they cause. Furthermore, the student must be able to recognize the main taxa (protists, protozoa; animals, invertebrates) at the order and family level.

D3-AUTONOMY OF JUDGEMENT: The student must be able to deal critically with the study of the subject, both as regards the information contained in the material provided by the teacher, and for those reported in the recommended text. This ability will be reflected in the ability to recognize the main parasite taxa and the diseases they cause.

D4-COMMUNICATION SKILLS: The student must demonstrate to own and know how to use the appropriate terminology consistent with that used during the lectures.

D5-CAPACITY of LEARNING: the student must prove capable of using taxonomic characters and consult the specific scientific texts in order to identify the species treated in the course.

The teaching material prepared by the lecturer in addition to recommended textbooks (such as for instance slides, lecture notes, exercises, bibliography) and communications from the lecturer specific to the course can be found inside the Moodle platform › blended.uniurb.it

There are no activities to support teaching.

Teaching

Frontal lessons

Course books

De Carneri. Parassitologia generale e umana a cura di E. Pozio e C. Genchi. Tredicesima Edizione. 2003. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana.

Material provided by the teacher.

Assessment

Oral exam. Evaluation criteria: 

- pertinence and effectiveness of the responses in relation to the contents of the program

- level of articulation of the answer

- adequacy of the disciplinary language used

Disability and Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who have registered their disability certification or SLD certification with the Inclusion and Right to Study Office can request to use conceptual maps (for keywords) during exams.

To this end, it is necessary to send the maps, two weeks before the exam date, to the course instructor, who will verify their compliance with the university guidelines and may request modifications.

Teaching

Non-attending students must consult the teaching material uploaded on Moodle, through which it will be possible to deepen the study of the books indicated in the section 'Course Books'. 

Course books

De Carneri. Parassitologia generale e umana a cura di E. Pozio e C. Genchi. Tredicesima Edizione. 2003. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana.

Material provided by the teacher.

Oral exam. Evaluation criteria: 

- pertinence and effectiveness of the responses in relation to the contents of the program

- level of articulation of the answer

- adequacy of the disciplinary language used