The guarantor of the study subject assigns a topic of a seminar paper to a student while considering the topic of a dissertation thesis of a doctoral student. The student will determine the scope of his/her practical studies upon a consultation with the guarantor. A key precondition of passing the study subject is the student’s 100% attendance at the agreed practical exercises. Passing a study subject is conditioned by a seminar paper on the assigned topic prepared by the student and then assessed by the guarantor.

By completing the studies of the subject, students acquire complex knowledge of protozoa and protozooses with the emphasis put on understanding key notions, their life cycle, taxonomy, epizootiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, as well as clinical manifestations, prevention, therapy and diagnostics of diseases induced by them. Great emphasis is put on zoonoses classified according to WOAH, EFSA and WHO regarding protection of human health, foods and materials of animal origin, as well as the environment.

Protozoology and protozoan zoonotic diseases

Lectures: 1. Introduction to Parasitology, General parasitology, morphology, life cycles, development of parasites, and classification. 2. KINETOPLASTEA- trypanosomosis: morphology, the main species, geographical distribution, epizootiology, epidemiology, the life cycle, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnosis, treatment and control. 3. LEISHMANIA, leishmaniosis: morphology, the main species, geographical, distribution, epizootiology, epidemiology, the life cycle, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnosis, treatment and control. 4. METAMONADA: Giardia: morphology, prevalence, epizootiology, epidemiology, the life cycle, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnostic methods (ELISA, SNAP tests, PCR), treatment and control. 5. PARABASALA: Trichomonas (Bovine and avian trichomonosis), Histomonas (histomonosis of turkey): morphology, prevalence, epizootiology, epidemiology, the life cycle, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnostic methods, treatment and control. 6. AMOEBOZOA: Entamoeba, Acanthamoeba – Entamoebosis: morphology, prevalence, epizootiology, epidemiology, the life cycle, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnostic methods, treatment and control. 7. ALVEOLATA - CCCCIDEA: characteristic, morphology, ultrastructure, taxonomy, biology, classification. MONOXENOUS COCCIDIA. Eimeriosis – morphology, the main species according the hosts, prevalence, life cycle, epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnosis, treatment and prevention. 8. CRYPTOSPORIDIOSIS - morphology, prevalence, epizootiology, epidemiology, the life cycle, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnostic methods (ELISA test, PCR), treatment and control. 9. HETEROXENOUS COCCIDIA SPECIES - characteristic. Sarcocystosis: morphology, prevalence, epizootiology, epidemiology, the life cycle, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnostic methods, treatment and control. 10. TOXOPLASMOSIS, morphology, the main species, geographical distribution, epizootiology, epidemiology, the life cycle, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnosis, treatment and control. Genera: Cystoisospora, Isospora, Neospora – morphology, the main species, prevalence, the life cycle, epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnosis, prevention and control. 11. HETEROXENOUS TRANSMISIVE COCCIDIOSIS OF BLOOD AND A RES (HAEMATOZOEA) - characteristic. Plasmodiosis, malaria of human and birds – morphology, geographic distribution, prevalence, life cycle, epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnosis, prevention and control. 12. BABESIOSIS and THEILERIOSIS, morphology, the main species, geographical distribution, epizootiology, epidemiology, the life cycle, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnosis, treatment and control. CILIOPHORA - Balantidiosis of pigs – morphology, prevalence, the life cycle, epidemiology, pathogenesis and clinical signs, pathology, diagnosis, prevention and control. 13. Modern diagnostic methods of detection of selected prozoan parasitosis. Practical parts: 1. Parasitology in general, rules of classification: Standardized Nomenclature of Animal Parasitic Diseases (SNOAPAD). Equipment in the parasitological laboratory, transport and preservation of fecal samples. 2. Microscopy and micrometry of parasitological objects, pseudoparasites, Techniques for intravital diagnosis of parasitic diseases. Measurement of parasitological objects (eggs, cysts), direct microscopic examination of faeces. Methods used in protozoology. 3. Direct wet smear. 4. Qualitative concentration methods, flotation methods. Principals of flotation methods, flotation solutions. Methods used in protozoology. 5. KINETOPLASTEA – diagnostic methods of trypanosomosis and leishmaniosis. Wet blood films, thick blood films, thin blood films, concentration techniques. 6. DIPLOMONADIDA – – Diagnosis of giardiosis (cysts). 7. TRITRICHOMONOSIS, TRICHOMONOSIS – demonstration of trichomonosis in pigeons, microscopic examination. 8. ALVEOLATA – COCCIDEA: Diagnosis of monoxenous coccidian species (Eimeria, Cryptosporidium). Morphology of unsporulated and sporulated oocysts, stained fecal smear. 9. ALVEOLATA – COCCIDEA: Diagnosis of heteroxenous coccidia species (Cystoisospora, Sarcocystis, Toxoplasma). Flotation methods in dg. of heteroxenous coccidia species, morphology of oocysts (unsporulated and sporulated). 10. Diagnosis of sarcocystosis. Digestive method. Macro- and microscopic examination of muscles, morphology of cysts. 11. ALVEOLATA – HAEMATOZOEA (Babesia, Theileria, Plasmodium) - Diagnosis of hemosporidioses. Preparation of blood smears, staining techniques. 12. Handling of samples (feces, blood) after collection used in specialized investigation methods (ELISA, PCR). ELISA, SNAP tests – proof of coproantigens; antibodies of selected protozoan parasites. 13. PCR metódy - diagnosis of species, assemblages, subassemblages, genotypes of selected protozoan parasites.

1. Cacciò, S.M. – Widmer, G. Epidemiology of Human Cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidium: parasite and disease. Springer-Verlag Wien. 2014, 564 p. ISBN 978-3-7091-1561-9. 2. Deplazes, P. et al. Parasitology in Veterinary Medicine. The Netherlands: Wageningen Academic Publisher, 2016. 653 p. ISBN 978-90-8686-274-0. 3. Duszynski, D.W. – Kvičerová, J. – Seville, R.S. The Biology and Identification of the Coccidia (Apicomplexa) of Carnivores of the World. Elsevier Science Publishing Co Inc, 2018. 712 p. ISBN 978-0-12-811349-3. 4. Palmer, S. L. et al. (eds.): Oxford Textbook of Zoonoses biology, clinical practice, and public health control, 2nd ed, Oxford Univerzity Press, 2011. Ch. 1, p. 3-11. ISBN 978-0-19-857002-8. 5. Taylor, M.A. – Coop, R.L. – Wall, R.L. Veterinary Parasitology. Blackwell publ, 3rd ed, 2007. 874 p. ISBN: 978-1-4051-1964-1 6. Urquhart T, G. M. et al. Veterinary parasitology. 2nd edition. Oxford: Blackwell Science Ltd, 1996. 307 p. ISBN 0-632-04051-3 7. Weese J.S., Fulford M.B.: Companion animal zoonoses. Willey-Blackwel, 2011: 319 pp. ISBN 978-0-8138-1964-8Taylor, M.A., Coop R.L., Wall, R.L. (2008): Veterinary Parasitology, Blackwell Publ. 874 p.

Conditions for completion of course:

The guarantor of the study subject assigns a topic of a seminar paper to a student while considering the topic of a dissertation thesis of a doctoral student. The student will determine the scope of his/her practical studies upon a consultation with the guarantor. A key precondition of passing the study subject is the student’s 100% attendance at the agreed practical exercises. Passing a study subject is conditioned by a seminar paper on the assigned topic prepared by the student and then assessed by the guarantor.

Final assessment:

evaluation: A- Fx