Parasitology

Code: BIO11477L

3 ECTS

Duration: 15 weeks/78 hours

Scientific Area: Biological Sciences

Teaching languages: Portuguese

Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese, English

Regime de Frequência: Presencial

Sustainable Development Goals

3. Saúde de qualidade - Assegurar uma vida saudável e promover o bem-estar para todos, em todas as idades.

4. Educação de qualidade - Assegurar a educação inclusiva, e equitativa e de qualidade, e promover oportunidades de aprendizagem ao longo da vida para todos.

6. Água potável e saneamento - Garantir disponibilidade e manejo sustentável da água e saneamento para todos.

13. Ação climática - Tomar medidas urgentes para combater a mudança climática e seus impactos (*).

15. Proteger a vida terrestre - Proteger, recuperar e promover o uso sustentável dos ecossistemas terrestres, gerir de forma sustentável as florestas, combater a desertificação, deter e reverter a degradação da Terra e deter a perda da biodiversidade.

Learning Goals

Human Parasitology although in the broadest sense is the study of viruses, phages, bacteria and fungi, by convention, is also interested in protozoa, helminths and arthropods parasites of man. Parasitic infections cause human suffering and huge economic losses, leading this is an area of great interest to health. The parasites cause social problems and their effects are amplified due to poor societies. With ecological changes on the agenda (mainly due to global warming),
demographic problems, the decline of anti-vector campaigns and the global epidemic of AIDS, parasitic diseases are now emerging in areas of the globe where there had long been expelled or have never existed (for Portugal and other Mediterranean countries). This course intends to establish contact with Human Parasitology, develop in students the skills and knowledge of parasitology, and to study the main diseases they cause in humans.

reservoirs. Evolutionary cycles, pathogenicity and virulence. Parasite-host relationship. Arthropod parasites or disease vectors. Medical problems posed by parasites.
Protozoa, cellular organization of protozoan parasites. Classification of protozoan parasites. Amoebae, flagellates, sporozoan, ciliates.
Helminths. Nature of parasitic helminths. Flatworms, Trematodes, Tapeworms, roundworms.
Arthropds, arachnid, insects.

Teaching Methods

The course integrates diverse teaching methodologies:
Lectures: interactive oral exposition supported by audiovisual materials and open discussion;
Laboratory practical classes: Macroscopic and microscopic identification of parasites; identification of parasites using molecular biology techniques.

Assessment

Two tests (50%) or final exam (50%). Practical component: Lab notebook (20%). Presentation of a case study on a parasite/clinical case (20%). Critical discussion and evaluation of the case study presented by the colleagues (10%).