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)
2. One final exam (comprehensive)
3. Laboratory (detail below)
Grades
89.5%
79.6 89.5%
69.6 79.5%
59.6 69.5%
59.5%

38% of total grade

27% of total grade
35% of total grade

A
B
C
D
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.