2024

Clinical Parasitology

Name: Clinical Parasitology
Code: CMS13766I
3 ECTS
Duration: 15 weeks/78 hours
Scientific Area: Ciências Farmacêuticas

Teaching languages: Portuguese
Languages of tutoring support: Portuguese

Presentation

The UC aims to provide students with skills in their ability to understand the mechanisms of pathogenic action of different parasitic species, and the most appropriate forms of host response to minimize the effect of this parasitism, when its control or eradication is not possible.

Sustainable Development Goals

Learning Goals

In this subject we are expected to offer the students skills in their capacity to understand the mechanisms of host-pathogenic interaction to the different parasitic species with a zoonotic importance. It is also an objective of this UC, to offer students the updated scientific knowledge on the immune modulation induced by the parasitic infection and, the possible ways we may use to minimize the effects of parasitism, when it is not possible to control or eradicate it.

Contents

The program includes theoretical knowledge and the promotion of practical skills on parasitology and the mechanisms of response to the action of parasitism, in this host/parasite interaction, including the immunological relationships and modulations associated with parasitism. In addition to the life cycle of the parasites studied, their anatomy and biology, the appropriate means of diagnosis for each species and identification of the parasites, as well as the interpretation of results, will be studied. For each parasite, ways of preventing and controlling parasitic agents and diseases will be studied, including the mechanisms of parasite resistance to antiparasitic agents and ways of minimizing the existence of resistance to antiparasitic agents. In practical classes the students will have to search and identify parasites by direct and indirect methods.

Teaching Methods

The teaching of this UC will focus on the individual work of the students, according to the subjects of each theoretical classes, on the recommended bibliography and suggestion of research work by students from credible sources. Theoretical classes are linked to practical classes, of mandatory attendance, where the development of research techniques and identification of parasites will proceed. the interpretation of results, as well as the discussion and analysis of the implications for the development of disease and public health.
The evaluation system will consider the achievement obtained in the different components of the course.
The theoretical component will be evaluated by a written test and a final exam (50%). The practical laboratory component will be evaluated continuously based on attendance, laboratory performance and discussion of reports (35%) and will be complemented with the presentation of a scientific article on a relevant topic in the UC area (15%).