Date Lecture Text Lab
Aug. 31 T Intro. to Parasitology Chap. 1& 2 1. Lab setup, TrematodesSept. 2 R Principles of Parasitism Chap. 3
7 T Platyhelminthes Chap. 13 2. Marsh Creek 9 R Class Trematoda/Aspido. Chap. 14, 15 trip, trematodes
14 T Digenea Chap. 16 3. Digenea 16 R Digenea Chap. 17
21 T All Day Field Trip to Chesapeake Biological Lab, Solomons, MD 23 R Digenea Chap 19
28 T Class Monogenea 5. Trem/Monogenea 30 R Monogenea/Paper Topic Due
Oct. 5 T EXAM I 6. Lab quiz/Cestodes 7 R Class Cestoidea Chap. 20 READING DAYS: MONDAY/TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11/12
14 R Cestodes Chap. 21
19 T Cestodes/Phylum Nematoda Chap. 22 7. Cestodes/Nematodes Review Paper references due 21 R Nematodes Chap. 23, 24
26 T Nematodes Chap. 25, 27 8. Nematodes 28 R Nematodes Chap. 26, 30
Nov. 2 T Nematodes Chap. 28, 29 9. Nematodes 4 R Acanthocephala/Pentastomes Chap. 31, 32 9 T EXAM II 10. Egg quiz/Acantho. 11 R Protozoa/Trypanosomes Chap. 4, 5
16 T Atrial Flagellates Chap. 6, 36 11. Flagellates/bugs 18 R Amoebas/Papers Due Chap. 7
23 T Gregarines/Coccidia Chap. 8 12. Gregarines/coccidia THANKSGIVING BREAK 30 T Malaria/Reviews Due Chap. 9, 38 13. Malaria/mosquitoes Dec. 2 R Malaria
7 T Myxozoans/Ciliates Chap. 10, 11 14. Lab Quiz 3/cleanup 9 R Oral Reports/Paper Revisions due All slides/vials due
Parasitology is a course intended for Biology majors interested
in the health professions and graduate school and who want to study the major
groups of animal parasites affecting humans, domestic animals, and wildlife.
Much of what we do will center around four questions concerning the host-parasite
relationship: 1)
Where and under what circumstances does a host become infected? 2) What adaptations (morphological, physiological, biochemical, and ecological) did the host and parasite evolve as a consequence of the relationship? 3) How
does the host respond to the presence of the parasite? and 4) What ecological and behavioral factors allow the
parasite to be transmitted from host to host? A great deal of what we cover will draw upon your previous courses
in Biology and Chemistry, for parasitology is an integrative discipline in which one must be acquainted with the
host as well as the parasite.
The Laboratory is designed to introduce you to selected organisms
from the major taxonomic groups of
animal parasites. As a part of the lab, we will collect and necropsy wildlife hosts, fix, stain, make microscope slides
of the parasites found, and identify the parasites to the lowest taxon that is reasonably possible. As a consequence,
you will assemble a fluid-preserved or microscope slide parasite
collection that
will be submitted for grading. Second, we will undertake some simple
experiments with living parasites, either from a host or from culture. Third, we will examine prepared microscope
slides of selected parasites in order for you to become familiar with the body plan and variation within the taxa
studied. Finally, we will examine stools for helminth eggs and protozoan
cysts and trophs.
A portion of the course grade will consist of a short (8-12 pages) Review Paper dealing with an aspect of animal parasitology. This paper and oral report will give you a chance to explore, in some depth, a particular parasite, parasite group, parasitic disease, host response to a parasite, and much more. Sources for this paper are to come primarily from the research and review literature as well as the internet. The college library has paper or electronic versions of several journals and books that are entirely or largely devoted to parasitology. These journals include, but are not limited to, The Journal of Parasitology, Experimental Parasitology, Journal of the Helminthological Society of Washington, and Journal of Wildlife Disease. I have personal copies of International Journal for Parasitology and American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene which may contain information of value to your topic. The library also gets the annual series Advances in Parasitology. Articles from other journals can be obtained through interlibrary loan or by visiting an area research library.
The paper is to be submitted as HTML and WordPerfect files attached to an e-mail message of transmittal. Figures can be attached or integrated into the document. It is important for you to observe copyright laws and provide citations for all figures and other information from outside sources. Paper copies will be accepted but are not be necessary. Once submitted, reviewed, and revised, the papers may be placed on the course homepage for public viewing. Each paper will be evaluated by an anonymous peer from the class and the critique sent to me by e-mail. I will then send on the anonymous review to the author. Once reviewed and (optionally) revised, the paper may be placed on the course homepage for viewing. The grade will consist of the paper, a 10 minute oral presentation, and review of another person's work.
Exams and Quizzes will be based on lecture material,
textbook assignments, and literature assigned for that section
of the course.
2 Hour Exams @ 20% = 40% 3 Lecture Quizzes @ 2% = 6% Final Examination 20% Paper, Oral Report,& Critique 9% Parasite Collection 10% 3 Lab Quizzes @ 5% = 15% Course Grade Total = 100%
I will provide most specimens, reagents, apparatus, as well as laboratory handouts and other information during the lab. You will need to obtain a good dissecting kit, a half-gross box of microscope slides, bound lab notebook, a number 2 pencil, a couple of colored pencils, e.g. red and blue, and a fine or extra fine black ballpoint pen for slide labels. A pair of goggles is required for work with host necropsies.
All work submitted for a grade is subject to the provisions of the Honor Code. You may share hosts for necropsy, parasite specimens, data collected from experiments, and literature citations with classmates. You are on you own for exams, quizzes, and the review paper.