65976 - Epidemiology And Veterinary Parasitology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the students acquire basic knowlege in order to describe the distribution in space and time of pathological and non-pathological conditions in animal populations, and to analyse the factors and their relationships influencing health and production. Particularly, the students are able to give cooperation and advices in order to: - assess and minimize the risks for animal health and production; - estimate the effectiveness and efficiency of health and non-health actions; - promote a proper man-animal-environment relationship.At the end of the course, the students acquire basic knowledge of veterinary parasitology and parasitic diseases of farmed animals, with special reference to: main aetiological agents significant for animal productions and public health; risk factors at environmental and farm levels; and control measures. Particularly, the students ara able to cooperate with public and private veterinarians in the following activities: parasite surveillance and control; animal health and consumer protection; optimization of animal productions.

Course contents

Definitions and scopes of epidemiology. General concepts and principles of veterinary epidemiology, applied to animal productions. Evolution of the concepts of health and disease. Determinants of occurrence, transmission and maintenance of infections, related to hosts, environment and agents. Measures of event occurrence (calculation elements, proportions, ratios, rates, prevalence, incidence, risks, morbility, mortality, case-fatality rate). Disease occurrence in space and time (endemic, epidemic, sporadic). Basic concepts on epidemiological surveys and studies (descriptive, analytical) and sources of data and information. Evaluation of diagnostic tests. Sampling concepts and principles. Concepts and principles of veterinary socio-economics and evaluation of health actions. Notes on epidemiological surveillance and information at national and international level.Basic concepts of veterinary parasitology. Socio-economic impact of parasites. Host-parasite-environment relationships. Main parasites of farm animals and wildlife (sistematics, biological and morphological features, life cycle, occurrence in Italy and importance for animal production and/or public health). Arthropods: mange mites, ticks, bot-flies, lice; arthropod-borne infections. Nematodes: gastro-intestinal strongyles of ruminants and swine, roundworms, trichinellae. Cestodes: ciclofillidean tapeworms, with special reference to zoonotic agents. Trematodes: hepatic flukes, paramphistomes. Protozoa: coccidia and notes on other protozoa of zooeconomic significance. Definition and concept of parasitic disease. Epidemiology and control of the main parasitic diseases of farm animals and main parasitic zoonoses, with special reference to: actions of surveillance; evaluation of risk factors; interventions on internal and external environment; use of antiparasitic drugs.

Readings/Bibliography

Didactic material and bibliographic and web information suggested or provided by the lecturer (if requested, also in English);

Web-site mainly recommended : http://www2.unipr.it/~bottarel/epi/HomePage.html.

Thrusfield M.: Veterinary epidemiology (Third Edition), Blackwell Science Ltd., Oxford (U.K.), 2007

Taylor MA et al. : Veterinary Parasitology (Third Edition), Blackwell Publishing, Oxford (U.K.), 2007 [Italian Edition, 2010, Updated ]

 

Teaching methods

Frontal didactics- practical lessons, Educantional travels

Assessment methods

The course is part of the  Integrated course "Epidemiology, Parasitology and Veterinary Pathology", That is Comprehensive of the course "VETERINARY PATHOLOGY". The examination committee, is formed by the professors in charge of the teachings that compose the integrated course.

Final test will consist of an oral examination, accompanied by practical test consisting in the recognition of a parasite. The final mark consists of the synthesis of the evaluations of the teachings that compose the integrated course

Teaching tools

Web and original documents, publications and images - Drill-lessons on specific topics. Samples of macro and micro-parasites.  Diagnostic laboratory (at the Department of Medical veterinary Science)

Office hours

See the website of Giovanni Poglayen