Introduction To General Parasitology
- Health Sciences
- 300 level
- 104 pages
- 15 units
This course introduces students to general parasitology, focusing on human parasites of public health relevance. It explores parasite phylogeny, physiology, and host-parasite relationships. Students will learn about parasite life cycles, pathogenesis, symptomology of parasitic diseases such as malaria, amoebiasis, schistosomiasis, and onchocerciasis. The course also covers strategies for parasitic disease control, including emerging control methods, chemotherapy, chemoprophylaxis, and prevention of parasite infections.
About this course
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Study hours
- 60 hours
- Maths
- None
- Content
- Theoretical
- Practical work
- No
- Assignments
- Tutor Marked Assignments
- Final Examination
What you'll read
The real module and unit structure of EHS303, taken from the course material NOUN publishes.
One paragraph, so you can see how it reads
EHS303 · UNIT 1: PHYLOGENY OF PARASITES
There are activities related to the lecture in each unit which will help your progress and comprehension of the unit. You are required to work on these exercises which together with the TMAs will enable you to achieve the objectives of each unit.
What you should be able to do
- Define key concepts in general parasitology
- Describe the life cycles of major human parasites
- Explain the pathogenesis and symptomology of common parasitic diseases
- Identify strategies for controlling parasitic infections
- Discuss the challenges of drug resistance in parasites
What it prepares you for
- Environmental Health Officer
- Public Health Specialist
- Medical Parasitologist
- Laboratory Technician
- Research Scientist
- Healthcare
- Public Health
- Research
- Environmental Management
- Pharmaceuticals
Where it gets hard
The units students slow down on, and what makes each one heavy.
- Module 3: Pathogenesis and Symptomology of Parasitic Diseases
Unit 1: Malaria
Understanding the complex life cycle of the parasite and its interaction with both the human host and the mosquito vector requires integrating knowledge from multiple biological disciplines.
- Module 3: Pathogenesis and Symptomology of Parasitic Diseases
Unit 2: *Amoebiasis*
Requires understanding of the parasite's ability to invade tissues, cause diarrhoic syndrome, and spread to the liver, forming amebic abscesses, demanding a strong grasp of pathological processes.
A suggested way through it
13 weeks, about 32 hours in total. Yours will differ.
- Week 1Module 1: Introduction to Major Human Parasites of Public Health Relevance
Unit 1: Phylogeny of parasites · 2 hours
Define phylogeny of parasites. Discuss the components of a phylogeny. Explain the kinds of comparisons between host and parasite phylogenies.
- Week 2Module 1: Introduction to Major Human Parasites of Public Health Relevance
Unit 2: Parasites physiology · 2 hours
Explain the spatial relationship of parasites to hosts. Discuss the physiological relationship between parasites and hosts. Provide examples of spatial and physiological relationships.
- Week 3Module 1: Introduction to Major Human Parasites of Public Health Relevance
Unit 3: Evasive mechanism · 2 hours
Define pathogenesis. Explain the relationship between pathogenesis and virulence. Discuss immune evasion and tolerance mechanisms.
- Week 4Module 1: Introduction to Major Human Parasites of Public Health Relevance
Unit 4: Parasites Physiology · 2 hours
Define parasite physiology. Explain parasitic life cycles. Describe different types of parasites.
- Week 5Module 2: Parasite Life Cycle Pattern
Unit 1: Host specificity · 2 hours
Define host specificity. Explain the mating process of female mosquitoes. Describe tick-host associations.
- Week 6Module 2: Parasite Life Cycle Pattern
Unit 2: Parasite Infection Infestation · 2 hours
Differentiate between parasite infection and parasite infestation. Describe the symptoms of parasitic infections. Explain how parasitic infections are spread.
- Week 7Module 2: Parasite Life Cycle Pattern
Unit 3: Parasite Ecology · 2 hours
Define parasite ecology. Explain host-parasite interactions. Discuss the role of parasites in ecosystems.
- Week 8Module 2: Parasite Life Cycle Pattern
Unit 4: Parasite Pathology · 2 hours
Define parasite pathology. Describe the signs and symptoms of parasitic diseases. Explain the treatment options for parasitic infections.
- Week 9Module 3: Pathogenesis and Symptomology of Parasitic Diseases
Unit 1: Malaria · 2 hours
Explain the major causes of malaria infection. Discuss the role of vitamin A in malaria. Describe the effects of vitamin A supplementation.
- Week 10Module 3: Pathogenesis and Symptomology of Parasitic Diseases
Unit 2: *Amoebiasis* · 2 hours
Describe the symptoms of amoebiasis. Explain the causes of amoebiasis. Discuss the diagnosis, management, and prevention of amoebiasis.
- Week 11Module 3: Pathogenesis and Symptomology of Parasitic Diseases
Unit 3: *Schistosomiasis* · 2 hours
Describe the signs and symptoms of schistosomiasis. Explain the treatment options for schistosomiasis. Discuss the life cycle of schistosomiasis.
- Week 12Module 3: Pathogenesis and Symptomology of Parasitic Diseases
Unit 4: *Onchocerciasis* · 2 hours
Describe the signs and symptoms of onchocerciasis. Explain the causes of onchocerciasis. Discuss the treatment options for onchocerciasis.
- Week 13Module 4: Strategies in Parasitic Diseases Control
Unit 1: Emerging and re-emerging parasitic control · 2 hours
Define emerging and re-emerging diseases. Discuss the significance of emerging and re-emerging parasitic diseases. List types of emerging and re-emerging parasitic diseases.
Unit 2: Chemotherapy and chemoprophylaxis · 2 hours
Differentiate between chemotherapy and chemoprophylaxis. Explain the goals of chemotherapy treatment. Discuss the limitations of chemoprophylaxis.
Unit 3: Drug resistance in parasites · 2 hours
Explain the concept of drug resistance in parasites. Describe steps to minimize the impact of drug resistance. Discuss mechanisms of drug resistance.
Unit 4: Prevention and control of parasite infections · 2 hours
Describe the symptoms of parasitic infections. Explain the causes of parasitic infections. Discuss prevention and control measures for parasitic infections.
Preparing for the exam
- Review all unit objectives and summaries
- Create flashcards for key terms and parasite life cycles
- Practice answering tutor-marked assignment questions
- Focus on understanding the pathogenesis and symptomology of major parasitic diseases
- Study control strategies and challenges of drug resistance
- Review diagrams and illustrations of parasite life cycles and disease transmission pathways
- Practice identifying parasites from microscopic images
- Create concept maps linking parasite, vector, and disease
- Prioritize study time on malaria, amoebiasis, schistosomiasis, and onchocerciasis
- Attend tutorial sessions and ask questions
Questions students ask about this course
What is EHS303 about?
This course introduces students to general parasitology, focusing on human parasites of public health relevance. It explores parasite phylogeny, physiology, and host-parasite relationships. Students will learn about parasite life cycles, pathogenesis, symptomology of parasitic diseases such as malaria, amoebiasis, schistosomiasis, and onchocerciasis. The course also covers strategies for parasitic disease control, including emerging control methods, chemotherapy, chemoprophylaxis, and prevention of parasite infections.
How many units does EHS303 have?
EHS303, Introduction To General Parasitology, has 15 units across 4 modules, over 104 pages of course material. You can read it one unit at a time.
Is EHS303 hard?
EHS303 is rated intermediate level, with no mathematical content. It is mostly theoretical work.
How long does EHS303 take to study?
About 60 hours of study, spread across its 15 units.
How is EHS303 assessed?
EHS303 is assessed by Assignments, Tutor Marked Assignments and Final Examination.
What can I do with EHS303?
Environmental Health Officer, Public Health Specialist, Medical Parasitologist, Laboratory Technician and Research Scientist.