INTRODUCTION TO

PARASITOLOGY

Dr. Mejbah Uddin Ahmed

 History of Parasitic Disease
 Parasitic diseases were known from ancient
times. Egyptians, Chinese, Indians & Greeks
knew about parasitic diseases during the
period from 3000-300 BC.
 Antonie Von Leeuwenhook discovered
microscope at the end of the 17th century
which followed the recognition and discovery
of protozoa.
 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

 Parasitology: The branch of medical

science which deals with the study of
parasites of medical importance.

 Parasite:
A living organism which depends
on another living organism for food and
accommodation and do herm to the host.
 Types of parasite
 Ectoparasite:Some arthropods cause some
human diseases but they remain outside the
body are consider as ectoparasite, e.g. -
Reduvid bug, body louse etc.

 Endoparasite: Lives inside the body of the

host: blood, tissue, body cavity, digestive
tract and other organs of the body.
 Types of parasite
 Permanent parasite: Leads a parasitic life
through out the whole period of its life.

 Opportunistic parasite: Leads a parasitic

life when opportunity arises.

 Obligatory parasite: Can not exist without

a parasitic life.
 Types of host
 Host: Are the organisms which give shelter
and nourishment to the parasites.
 Types of host:
 Definitive host
 Intermediate host
 Accidental host
 Paratenic host
 Reservoir host.
 Definitive host: harbor the adult stage of the
parasite, e.g. - Mosquito is the definitive host
for the malarial parasite.

 Intermediate host: harbor larval stage of

the parasite, e.g. - human are the
intermediate host for malarial parasite.
 Accidental host: where parasites do not
develop normally but when infection occur
accidentally, the parasite either able to
complete it’s life cycle or eventually die. e.g.
- Man is the accidental host for Ancylostoma
canium.
 Paratenic host: are the hosts where
parasites undergo an arrested development
on infection, larval forms accumulates in
these host until they have chance of infecting
the definitive host. e.g.- Echinococcus
granulosus.
 Reservoir host: harbor a particular
pathogen and acts as long term source of
infection and are essential for maintenance
of the infection during times when active
transmission do not occur. e.g. - Dog is the
reservoir host for Leishmania donovania.
 Association between host and
parasite

 Symbiosis: When two species of organisms

live together, with no implication regarding
the length or outcome of the association is
known as symbiosis. These include
mutualism, commensalisms and parasitism.
 Mutualism: Is the relationship, which
advantageous or necessary for one or both
and none of them cause harm to another.

 Commensalism: Is the relationship, where

one is benefited and the other is neither
benefited or harmed.
 Parasitism: Is the relationship, where one
member depends on another for its nutrients,
accommodation or other life function. It is
harmful to one of the partner.

 Parasitoidism: A relationship in which the

host is killed by the parasite. It occurs in
ants, bees, flies etc.
 Zoonosis: Evolution of a human disease
naturally acquired from an infection primarily
confined to vertebrate animals. E.g:
Leishmaniasis, Trypanosomiasis.