Bi6330 General parasitology

Faculty of Science
Spring 2011 - only for the accreditation
Extent and Intensity
2/0. 2 credit(s) (plus 2 credits for an exam). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
prof. RNDr. Milan Gelnar, CSc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
prof. RNDr. Milan Gelnar, CSc.
Department of Botany and Zoology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. RNDr. Milan Gelnar, CSc.
Prerequisites (in Czech)
Bi1030 Syst. & evol. of invertebrates
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
At he end of this course, student should be able to understand and be able to explain basic definitions and terminology, extend of parasitism, diversity of parasites, morphological adaptations of parasitic protozoa and metazoan parasites, life-cycles and reproduction, parasite-host relationships, parasite transmission and life strategy, parasite populations and communities, host behaviour and parasites, physiology and nutrition of parasites, metabolism and biochemistry of parasites, molecular biology and genetics of parasites, immunology and imunisation, chemotherapy and control, evolution of parasitism.
Syllabus
  • Introduction, extend of parasitism, definitions and terminology, types of parasites and hosts, the concept of harm, some adaptations to parasitism, life cycle and ecology, milestones in parasitology. Morphology - Protozoa: cellular organization, motility and penetration, surface coat, peritrophic membranes. Metazoan organization: tegument, muscle, intestine, excretory system, reproductive organs, nervous system. Reproduction - Protozoa: cell multiplications, nuclear divisions, formation and fussion of gametes. Metazoa: Platyhelminthes, Acanthocephala, Nematoda, Pentastomida, Arthropoda. Life cycles and host-parasite relationships, definitions, types and basic patterns, reproductive strategies, colonization strategies, effects on host individuals and populations. Ecology and environment, infracommunity structure and dynamics, component and compound communities, habitat variability, habitat selection, biogeografical aspects, factors affecting the geografical distribution of parasites. Epidemiology, units of study, frequency distribution of parasite within host population, transmission, regulation of parasite abundance, population dynamics, effects of climatic factors and its epidemiological significance. Behaviour, parasite effects benefiting the parasite and hosts, parasitism and alturism, parasites and social behaviour, parasite manipulation of host behaviour, parasitism and life history theory. Physiology and nutrition, survival outside the host body, penetration and establishment, survival within the host, reproductive physiology, chemical communication, neurophysiology, locomotory physiology, nutrition of parasites. Biochemistry, energy metabolism, environmental and life cycles, energy metabolism in parasitic protozoa, energy metabolism in parasitic helminths. Molecular biology and genetics, DNA and RNA technology, gene expresion and regulation, chromosomes and gene mapping, polypeptide isolation and identification, monoclonal antibodies, vaccine development, molecular diagnosis and taxonomy. Immunology, immune response, animal models and in vitro systems, immunity to parasitic protozoa, immunity to helminth worms, evasions of the response, immunopathology, immunisation against parasitic pathogens. Chemotherapy and control, current drugs and their limitations, chemical structures of key current drug, biochemistry of drug action, component and methods of control, vector control, snail control, control of ectoparasites, sanitation. Pathology, main clinical and pathological signs of parasitic infections of man and in domestic animals, histhopathological diagnosis of protozoans, helminths and arthopods, basic histhopathological techniques. Evolution of parasitism, phylogenetic reconstruction, evolution of parasites and the capacity for parasitism, coevolution of parasites and hosts, adaptation and adaptative radiation of parasitism, evolutionary myths in parasitology, evolotion of specific groups, parasites like a language of evolution.
Literature
  • RYŠAVÝ, Bohumil. Základy parazitologie. 1. vyd. Praha: Státní pedagogické nakladatelství, 1989, 215 s. ISBN 8004208649. URL info
  • SMYTH, James Desmond. Introduction to animal parasitology. 3rd ed. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1994, xx, 549 s. ISBN 0-521-42811-4. info
  • Modern parasitology : a textbook of parasitology. Edited by Francis E. G. Cox. 2nd ed. Oxford: Blackwell scientific publications, 1993, xii, 276. ISBN 0632025859. info
Teaching methods
Theoretical lectures, discussion with students, practical examples
Assessment methods
oral exam
Language of instruction
Czech
Follow-Up Courses
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course can also be completed outside the examination period.
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.
General note: Učivo předmětu bude vyžadováno u státní závěrečné zkoušky v oboru Systematická biologie a ekologie - směr Zoologie.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008 - for the purpose of the accreditation, Autumn 2002, Autumn 2003, Autumn 2004, Spring 2006, Spring 2007, Spring 2008, Spring 2009, Spring 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, spring 2012 - acreditation, Spring 2013, Spring 2014, Spring 2015, Spring 2016, Spring 2017, spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020, Spring 2021, Spring 2022, Spring 2023, Spring 2024, Spring 2025.