07870 - Parasitic Diseases

Academic Year 2021/2022

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Single cycle degree programme (LMCU) in Veterinary Medicine (cod. 8617)

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student knows the epidemiology, symptomatology, diagnosis and prophylaxis of the main parasitic diseases of domestic animals. He/she is able to approach correctly the management of a parasitosis, both by applying basic diagnostic tools and by correctly evaluating the consequences of the host / parasite / environment relationship, in order to control and prevent the pathological phenomenon and its socio-economic consequences.

Course contents

The lectures will focus on an introductory part which will illustrate the basic concepts related to the epidemiology and socio-economic aspects of parasitic diseases. The main zoonoses of parasitic origin will therefore be examined in detail, in particular Leishmaniasis, Toxoplasmosis, Cystic Echinococcosis, Cysticercosis, Trichinellosis. Subsequently, the main parasitoses that involve the gastrointestinal, respiratory, circulatory, integumentary and the reproductive spheres of livestock and companion animals (ruminants, pigs, horses, dogs, cats and rabbits) will be considered. For each parasitic disease, aspects related to aetiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnostic methods, treatments and control methods; possible national and European legislation will be considered.

The practical activities include

- Laboratory activities: post mortem parasitological analysis starting from organs collected in public slaughterhouses, students will be able to independently isolate, observe, identify the parasites present;

- Laboratory activities: application of parasitological diagnostic techniques on fecal samples

- Interactive presentations using the "clicker" system to discuss with the students aspects related to parasitic diseases of small animals.

- problem solving group activities on issues relating to parasitic diseases.

Each activity will be repeated for each of the 4 student shifts

The timing of the different teaching activities are highlighted in the course syllabus on the website of the degree course in veterinary medicine. (https://corsi.unibo.it/magistralecu/MedicinaVeterinaria/syllabi-terzo-anno)

The exercises may be modified in accordance with the epidemiological situation relating to SARS-COV-2

Readings/Bibliography

Teaching material (slides and notes) provided by the teacher on the "Insegnamenti OnLine" Platform (https://virtuale.unibo.it/)

recommended texts for further information

- Piergili-Fioretti,D & Moretti, A – Parassitologia e Malattie Parassitarie in Medicina Veterinaria. Bononia University Press, Bologna 2020.

- Deplazes P., Eckert J., Mathis A., von Samson-Himmelstjerna G., Zahner H., Parasitology in Veterinary Medicine, Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen, 2016.

- Parassitologia e Malattie Parassitarie degli Animali” Taylor, Coop, Wall (traduzione italiana di Garippa, Manfredi, Otranto) - EMSI Edizioni Mediche Scientifiche Internazionali, Roma, 2010. ISBN 978-88-86669-75-7.

- “Parassitologia Zootecnica”, Marcello Ambrosi – Edagricole (in biblioteca)

- ESCCAP guidelines for companion animals available on: https://www.esccap.org/

Teaching methods

The course includes both lectures and practical laboratory/classroom activities. Each activity subject to practical exercises in the laboratory or in classroom is carried out by the student individually or in small groups and subjected to verification and discussion with the teacher and his collaborators.

Assessment methods

The final assessment of the teaching of Parasitic Diseases will consist of an oral test which aims to verify the acquisition of the knowledge provided according to the objectives of the course and will be considered passed after the correct answer to two main questions related to the topics treated. The evaluation of the candidate's preparation may use additional questions aimed at specifying aspects relating to the two main questions.

In evaluating the candidate's answers, the commission will pay particular attention in evaluating the acquisition of a logical-deductive method in the presentation of the contents.

Particular attention will be paid to the student's ability to reason in a transversal way and to connect the notions of the various parts of teaching with each other and with the information deriving from the courses of previous years with particular regard to parasitology and general pathology.

The test will be passed when the candidate obtains a minimum score of 18 points out of 30.

The teaching is part of the integrated course TRANSMISSIBLE DISEASES AND EPIDEMIOLOGY, which also includes the teachings of “Infectious diseases of farm animals”, “Infectious diseases of companion animals”, “Epidemiology”. Fabio Ostanello is the teacher responsible for verbalizing the integrated course.

The final grade of the integrated course "Transmissible Diseases and Epidemiology" is calculated based on the weighted average of the final assessments of the different courses that compose it.

Teaching tools

The theoretical lessons are conducted in a classroom equipped with multimedia equipment (PC and PC projector), mainly using PowerPoint slides; the practical lessons are carried out in DIMEVET laboratories equipped for diagnostics and in the classroom equipped with multimedia equipment (PC and PC projector)

Office hours

See the website of Roberta Galuppi

SDGs

Good health and well-being

This teaching activity contributes to the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN 2030 Agenda.