This heavily illustrated text teaches parasitology from a biological perspective. It combines classical descriptive biology of parasites with modern cell and molecular biology approaches, and also addresses parasite evolution and ecology.
Parasites found in mammals, non-mammalian vertebrates, and invertebrates are systematically treated, incorporating the latest knowledge about their cell and molecular biology. In doing so, it greatly extends classical parasitology textbooks and prepares the reader for a career in basic and applied parasitology.
Part I General Parasitology
1.General aspects of parasite biology
1.1. The world of terms in parasitology
1.1.1. The term "Parasite"
1.1.2. Modes of coexistance of animals of different species
1.1.3. The different forms of parasitism
1.1.4. Parasites and hosts
1.1.5. Modes of transmission
Teaching questions
1.2. What is unique about parasites?
1.2.1. A very peculiar habitat: The host
1.2.2. Specific morphological and physiological adaptations
1.2.3. Flexible strategies of reproduction
Teaching questions
1.3. The burden by parasites on host individuals and host populations
Teaching questions
1.4. Parasite/host coevolution
1.4.1. The main features of coevolution
1.4.2. The role of alleles in coevolution
1.4.3. Rareness is an advantage
1.4.4. Malaria as an example for coevolution
Teaching questions
1.5. The influence of parasites on mate choice
Teaching questions
1.6. Immunobiology of parasites
1.6.1. Defence mechanisms of hosts
1.6.2. Immune evasion
1.6.3. Parasites as opportunistic pathogens
1.6.4. Anti parasite vaccines
1.6.5. The Hygiene Hypothesis: Do parasites have a good side?
Teaching questions
1.7. How Parasites alter their hosts
1.7.1. Alterations of host cells
1.7.2. Intrusion of the hormonal systems
1.7.3. Changing the behavior of hosts
Teaching questions
Part II Parasitic protozoa
2. Biology of parasitic protozoa
2.1. Microspora
Teaching questions
2.2. Metamonada
Teaching questions
2.3. Parabasala
Teaching questions
2.4. Amoebaozoa
Teaching questions
2.5. Euglenozoa
Teaching questions
2.6. Percolozoa
Teaching questions
2.7. Stramenopila
Teaching questions
2.8. Alveolata
2.8.1. Apicomplexa
2.8.1.1. Gregarinea
2.8.1.2. Coccidea
2.8.1.3. Haematozoea
2.8.2. Ciliophora
Teaching questions
2.9. Myxozoa
Teaching questions
Part III Helminths
3. Platyhelmintha
3.1. Trematoda
3.1.1. Aspidogastrea
3.1.2. Digenea
Teaching questions
3.2. "Monogenea"
3.3. Cestoda
3.3.1. Gyrocotyloidea
3.3.2. Amphilinidea
3.3.3. Eucestoda
3.3.3.1. Caryophyllidea
3.3.3.2. Diphyllobothriidea
3.3.3.3. Mesocestoididae
3.3.3.4. Cyclophyllidea
Teaching questions
4. Acanthocephala
Teaching questions
5. Hirudinea
Teaching questions
6. Nematoda
6.1. Enoplea
6.1.1. Dorylaimia
6.2. Chromadorea
6.2.1. Spirurina
6.2.2. Tylenchina
6.2.3. Rhabditina
Teaching questions
7. Nematomorpha
Teaching questions
Part IV Arthropoda
8. Acari
8.1. Mesostigmata
8.2. Metastigmata
8.2.1. Ixodidae
8.2.2. Argasidae
8.3. Cryptostigmata
8.4. Prostigmata
8.5. Astigmata
Teaching questions
9. Crustacea and Pentastomida
9.1. Crustacea
9.2. Pentastomida
Teaching questions
10. Insecta
10.1. Phthiraptera
10.1.1. "Mallophagen"
10.1.2. Phynchophtherina
10.1.3. Anoplura
10.2 Heteroptera
10.2.1. Reduviidae
10.2.2. Cimicidae
10.2.3. Polyctenidae
10.3. Siphonaptera
10.4. Diptera
10.4.1. Nematocera
10.4.1.1. Ceratopogonidae
10.4.1.2. Culicidae
10.4.1.3. Simuliidae
10.4.1.4. Phlebotomidae
10.4.2. Brachycera
10.4.2.1. Tabanidae
10.4.2.2. Glossinidae
10.4.2.3. Hippoboscidae
10.4.2.4. Nycteribiidae, Streblidae
10.4.2.5. Muscidae
10.4.2.6. Calliphoridae
10.4.2.7. Sarcophagidae
10.4.2.8. Oestridae
Teaching questions
Answers to teaching questions
Alphabetical index
Richard Lucius is the head of Dept. of Molecular Parasitology at Humboldt-Universitat zu Berlin (Germany). After his studies of Biology, he worked on cattle parasites in West Africa, then focused on molecular parasitology in Heidelberg and Harvard and became professor of Parasitology at the Universitat Hohenheim. His work concentrates on the interaction between parasites and their host's immune system. He authored numerous scientific articles, co-authored several books and is also director of the Center for Infection Biology and Immunology of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Brigitte Frank was Professor for Parasitology at Universitat Hohenheim (Germany) from 1982 to 2002 when she retired. She studied biology in Hamburg and Tubingen. For eight years she worked at the ornithological station in Wilhelmshaven on helminths of shore birds and the elucidation of their life cycles. From 1990 onwards, in Hohenheim, she studied aspects of the life-cycles of Dicrocoelium dendriticum and other trematodes as well as of cestodes of the genus Mesocestoides and Taenia. She also focussed on the biology of lung mites and other arthropods of mammals.
Richard Grencis is Professor of Immunology at the University of Manchester. His research has focused on immune responses to parasites especially intestinal nematodes. He has published numerous scientific articles, was awarded the Wright Medal from the British Society for Parasitology for his outstanding contribution to Parasitology. He has taught parasitology to undergraduate and postgraduate students for over 20 years. He is co-editor in chief of Parasite Immunology and sits on the editorial board of several parasitology and immunology journals.
Boris Striepen is Professor of Parasitology at the University of Georgia, where he teaches modern parasitology to students of biology and medicine. The University of Georgia houses one of the largest communities of parasitologists in the USA. Striepen is at the same time director of the internationally renowned course "Biology of Parasitism" which is held every year at the Marine Biology Institute in Woods Hole, MA. His lab is focussed on the cell biology of apicomplexan parasites, where he contributes to the understanding of the metabolism of these parasites. Boris Striepen is one of the most recognized molecular parasitologists in the USA.