Learning objectives
• to teach students of veterinary medicine the basic principles (classification, epidemiology, life cycles, immunology) of parasitology and the clinical/diagnostic/therapeutic features of the most common parasitic diseases of domestic animals
Course unit content
• the course consists of 72 hours of classroom lectures and 35 hours of practical laboratories (for a total of 7 CFU). The content of the course includes the classification, epidemiology, life cycles and immunology of the following parasite groups: 1)Nematoda: Trichostrongyloidea, Strongyloidea, Metastrongyloidea, Ascaridioidea, Filarioidea, Trichuroidea, Oxiurioidea; 2)Trematoda: Fasciola heaptica, Dicrocoelium dendriticum; Paraphistomum spp; 3)Cestoda: Taenidae, Anoplocephala spp, Moniezia spp, Diphylidium caninum. 4) Protozoa: Sarcomastigofora, Apicomplexa, Piroplasmidae; 5) Arthropoda: Insecta (biological vectors, fleas and agents of myasis), Acarina (mites and ticks). The most common parasitic diseases in domestic animals that are taught within the course include: 1) bovine/ovine: parasitic gastro-enteritis; parasitic pneumonia; liver fluke infection; cysticercosis; hydatidosis; tritrichomoniosis; toxoplasmosis; neosporosis; cryptosporidiosis; babesiosis; mange; warble fly infection/nasal bot. 2) equine: intestinal strongylosis/larval strongylosis; round worm infection; pin worm infection; trichinellosis; tape worm infection; genital trypanosomiasis (T. equiperdum); babesiosis; sweet itch (Culicoides spp); bot fly infection. 3) swine: gastrointestinal strongylosis; round worm infection; trichinellosis; whip worm infection; cysticercosis; neonatal coccidiosis; toxoplasmosis; sarcoptic mange. 4) canine: hook worm, round worm and whipworm infections; heartworm disease; tape worm infection; hydatidosis (E. multilocularis); leishmaniosis; coccidiosis; neosporosis; babesiosi; flea allergic dermatitis; tick infestation; sarcoptic, demodectic and otodectic mange. 5) feline: hook worm and round worm infections; lung worm (Aelurostrongylus abstrusus); heartworm disease; tape worm infection; hydatidosis (E. multilocularis); coccidiosis; toxoplasmosis; flea allergic dermatitis (FAD); otodectic mange. Wet labs are intended to teach the student routine laboratory techniques in parasitology (copromicroscopy and egg identification; blood smears and microfilariae identification; skin scrapings and identification of common ectoparasites).
Bibliography
Taylor M.A. – Coop B. - Wall R. (ed. italiana a cura di Otranto D., Garippa G., Manfredi M.T.) Parassitologia e Malattie Parassitarie degli Animali, C. editrice: Emsi
Edizione: 2010
Teaching methods
lessons and practical labs
