Syllabus for Animal parasitology Lecture and Laboratory (Biol 4426 and 4426L)

August-December 2015

Prerequisites: Biol 3052 or CIBI 3002 or

Biol 3022 or Biol 4015

Two hours of conference per week

One three-hour laboratory per week

Professor (lecture and lab)

Sean Locke

Office: B113

Lab: B-137

E-mail: sean.locke@upr.edu

Office hours: 11:30-2 pm Monday or by appointment

Course description: Overview of principles, ecology and natural history of parasites of

animals. Focus on protozoans and helminths: life cycles, host relationships, and control.

Most examples taken from parasites that affect human health.

Text: Foundations of Parasitology by Roberts and Janovy

Objectives Familiarity with:

1. basic principles of parasitology.

2. terminology in parasitology.

3. biology of parasites (life-cycles, epidemiology, detection, control).

4. parasites of other animals

Lecture Course Outline

I. General aspects of parasitology

(2 hrs) - Definition of parasitism

- Basic principles and concepts

- Ecological and evolutionary notions

- Definition of general and epidemiological terms

II. Protozoa - Introduction

(7 hrs) - Trypanosomes and other flagellates

- Amoebas

- Coccidians

(Malaria)

- Myxozoa

- Ciliates

III. Digenetic trematodes - Introduction

(5 hrs) Schistosoma

Echinostoma

Fasciola

Paragonimus

Clonorchis

IV. Monogenea (1 hr)

V. Cestoda Introduction

(5 hrs) Pseudophyllidea

Diphyllobothrium

Cyclophyllidea

Taenia

Echinococcus

Hymenolepis

Dipylidium

VI. Nematodes - Introduction

(6 hrs)- Trichurida

Trichinella

Strongyloides

- Hookworms

- Intestinal roundworms

- Pinworms

- Filarial worms

- Guinea worms

VII. Other topics to be decided (e.g., Acanthocephala, Arthropoda, theories in parasite

evolutionary ecology (1 hr)

Laboratory Course Outline

In the laboratory, aspects of life cycles, distribution and morphology are studied with

respect to specimen identification.

Skills developed:

• Microscopy

• Scientific drawing

Ability to find and distinguish organisms in slides of fecal, tissue, or blood samples.

Identification of selected protozoan, helminth, and arthropod parasites, and vectors.

Lab 1 – Introduction, microscopy,

Lab 2 - Arthropoda

Lab 3 - Protozoa I - Flagellates

Lab 4 - Protozoa II - Amoebas and Ciliates

Lab 5 - Protozoa III - Apicomplexa

Lab 6 - First Lab Exam

Lab7 - Platyhelminthes I - Digenea I

Lab 8 - Platyhelminthes II - Digenea II and Monogenea

Lab 9 - Platyhelminthes III - Cestoda

Lab 10 - Nematoda I

Lab 11 - Nematoda II and Acanthocephala

Lab 12 – Review and/or, pending availability of material, host necropsy

Lab 13 - Second Lab Exam

Overall Evaluation (Final grade)

1. Lecture (3 in-class exams) 38% of total grade

2. One final exam (comprehensive) 27% of total grade

3. Laboratory (detail below) 35% of total grade

Grades

≥89.5% A

79.6 – 89.5% B

69.6 – 79.5% C

59.6 – 69.5% D

≤59.5% F

Lecture evaluation

Lecture in-class exam dates (subject to change):

14 September, 19 October, 16 November, 2015

The in-class exams are not cumulative, except that terminology and concepts defined in

Lecture 1 may appear in any exam.

It will be possible to earn up to 5% bonus points on the lecture portion of the class by a

combination of class attendance and participatory exercises (to be explained in class).

Laboratory evaluation

Laboratory exam dates (subject to change):

30 September, 25 November

- 2 exams: 54% (each worth 27%)

- 8 quizzes: 33% (each lab begins with a quiz on material of the preceding lab)

- Lab work: 13%

Please obtain two notebooks for the lab, with at least 8.5 x 11" pages. Bring these to

every lab.

Be punctual to class and lab.

Absences only excused with a note from a medical doctor. Absences from exams will

result in zero for the exam without a note from a medical doctor, judge or police officer.

Make-up exams will be given once at the end of the semester. Make-ups are not given for

quizzes. If a quiz is missed for legitimate reasons, the total 33% quiz grade will be based

on other quiz marks.

Study resources

Materials will be sent to you through email or posted on the course website, but do not

expect all testable information to be conveyed this way. In-class note-taking, and

consulting the text are expected.