Parasitology

Code:

MI074130

Acronym:

PARAST

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Health Sciences

Instance: 2019/2020 - 1S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Microbiology Laboratory
Course/CS Responsible:	MSc in Pharmaceutical Sciences

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MICF	153	Official Curriculum	4	-	6	39	162

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

The discipline of Parasitology, has the overall objective to provide the fundamentals of the association between living organisms with particular emphasis on the parasitism that compromises the health of humans and some animals. Parasitic infections have a significant importance in the world around us, from the world's richest northern hemisphere to the poorest parts of Africa and require special monitoring result of climate changes to which we are daily witnessing. The discipline of parasitology intend to sensitize students to this reality.

Learning outcomes and competences

The discipline of parasitology should provide students with the ability to:

1) Identify the parasites that affect man by both macroscopic / microscopic observation of the structures that contribute to the characterization of the parasite.

2) Analyse and understand the life cycles and the mechanisms of transmission to humans of the most prevalent parasitic diseases worldwide.

3) Know the indicated laboratorial diagnosis for the most important parasitic diseases of the world.

4) Advise the main preventive measures associated with the treatment, control and / or eradication of endo and ectoparasitoses.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

It is assumed basic knowledge on Physiology, General Microbiology, Immunology, Cell Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, and some laboratory experience in microbiology.

Program

Theoretical Program

Introduction to Parasitology. Study of protozoa and helminths with medical health interest and their respectively parasitic diseases. References to the history of the parasite and its parasitic diseases, morphology of the different parasite forms, life cycle, pathogenesis of infection, symptoms, geographic distribution, laboratory diagnosis, treatment and prophylaxis.  Protozoa: Plasmodium spp. Leishmania spp. Trypanosoma cruzi and T. brucei, Toxoplasma gondii, Giardia lamblia, Balantidium coli, Trichomonas vaginalis, Cryptosporidium parvum; Cystoisospora belli, Sarcocystis hominis, Cyclospora cayetanensis, Microsporidia, Entamoeba histolytica and free living Amoebas. References to other flagellates of the digestive tract with unclear medical interest. Helminths: Fasciola hepatica, Schistosoma spp; Taenia solium and T. saginata, Hymenolepis nanaand H. diminuta; Echinococcus granulosus, Dipylidium caninum, Diphyllobothrium latum, Ascaris lumbricoides, Enterobius vermicularis, Trichuris trichiura, Strongyloides stercoralis, Ancylostoma duodenale and Necator americanus, larva migrans cutaneous and visceral, Trichinella spiralis, Anisakis sp. Introduction to medical arthropodology. Study of arthropods that most often cause human infection and study of their infection: bedbugs Cimex Cimex lectularis and Cimex  hemipterus; Sarcoptes scabiei; fleas Xenopsylla cheopis and Pulex irritans; lice Pediculus humanus and Phtirus pubis.

Laboratory Program 
Macroscopic and/or microscopic morphology study of the parasitic forms from: Plasmodium sp. Leishmania spp., Toxoplasma gondii, Trypanosoma spp; Giardia lamblia; Amoebas;Trichomonas sp; Cryptosporidium parvum; Cystoisospora belli; Ascaris lumbricoides, Trichuris trichiura, Enterobius vermicularis; Hookworms; Storngyloides stercoralis; Fasciola hepatica, Schistosoma sp. Tenia spp. Hymenolepis spp. Equinococcus granulosus.

Mandatory literature

Neves David Pereira; Parasitologia humana. ISBN: 978-85-388-0220-4
Marcelo Urbano ferreira; Parasitologia Contemporânea, Guanabara Koogan, 2012. ISBN: 978-85-277-2188-2

Teaching methods and learning activities

Lectures: 1.5 hours / week. Master classes, illustrated with projections.

Laboratory Classes: 1.5 hours / week.

At the beginning of the semester the opening hours (2 hours / week) to receive students is defined.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	10,00
Exame	70,00
Trabalho laboratorial	20,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Apresentação/discussão de um trabalho científico	20,00
Estudo autónomo	20,00
Frequência das aulas	30,00
Trabalho laboratorial	30,00
Total:	100,00

Eligibility for exams

The frequency of laboratory classes is compulsory; students whose attendance is below 75% of the classes provided do not have frequency of the discipline.

The completion and submission of a work group is mandatory; students who do not perform or present the work in question do not have frequency of the discipline

The student attendance at lectures is not compulsory.

Calculation formula of final grade

Assessment Components

Laboratory Evaluation

Performed in a laboratory classroom, consists in the execution of work (s) made in previous laboratory classes. The approval of the laboratory evaluation has the minimum score of 9.5

Students who are exempted by law from the presence of classes are called to do the laboratory evaluation in one of the classes where the evaluation is made. Students should contact the teacher to be distributed in one of that classes.

The approval of the laboratory evaluation will be valid for 3 subsequent academic years and eventually two more years after the analysis of each case.

Presentation of a power point about a subject of Parasitology: in laboratory classes will be presented a power point done by the students for about 20 min followed by a discussion of 10 minutes. The evaluation will be scored from 0 to 20. The presentation of this work is mandatory.

Theoretical evaluation of the subjects taught in the laboratory and theoretical lectures

The evaluation will be done in 2 frequencies, being the theoretical subject taught in the theoretical and laboratory classes divided, between the two tests. Student approval implies that the average of the two frequencies is equal to or greater than 9.5. Oral examinations are not preview

 

 Final grade: grade on the overall assessment of the discipline: 70% of the written test grade + 20% of the laboratorial test grade + 10% of the final note of the Power point presentation

Examinations or Special Assignments

Special Assignments Students who are exempted by law from the presence of classes are asked to perform the laboratorial final exam. The approval of this test is a prerequisite for admission of the student in the written proof of the final exam. 
Special evaluation (TE, DA, ...) is performed according tothe evaluation standards FFUP.

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

Special evaluation (TE, DA, ...) is performed according to the evaluation standards FFUP.

Classification improvement

Improvement of the final classification

Whenever a student wants to improve the classification will necessarily have to perform the laboratory test and the theoretical test.

The overall rating is the highest obtained in the two tests carried out.

Improving classification may be required only 1 single time, in one of the two examinations periods immediately subsequent to that they received approval.