Tropical Parasitology: Protozoans, Worms, Vectors and Human Diseases

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/parasitology

Introduction

### Course Review: Tropical Parasitology: Protozoans, Worms, Vectors, and Human Diseases #### Overview If you’re looking to deepen your understanding of tropical parasitology, the Coursera course titled **"Tropical Parasitology: Protozoans, Worms, Vectors, and Human Diseases"** is an exceptional choice. Delivered by the esteemed faculty from Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College in Moshi, Tanzania, this course offers a comprehensive dive into various human parasitic diseases, examining their life cycles, modes of transmission, epidemiology, clinical manifestations, and approaches to treatment and prevention. Taught by respected professionals in the field, including Drs. Frank Mosha and Mramba Nyindo, alongside contributions from international experts like Dr. John Bartlett from Duke University, the course integrates both theoretical knowledge and real-world insights from an area considerably impacted by tropical diseases. #### Course Structure The course is structured into several clusters, each dedicated to different types of parasites: 1. **Protozoans**: - Focuses on critical diseases such as malaria, trypanosomiasis, toxoplasmosis, and leishmaniasis. - Contains 153 minutes of video content and 85 pages of reading, spread over four lessons. - Includes quizzes for each lesson, with an optional case study practice quiz. 2. **Cestodes**: - Investigates taeniasis and echinococcosis, including the significant health implications of neurocysticercosis. - Features 41 minutes of videos and 31 pages of reading. 3. **Trematodes**: - Covers common infestations like schistosomiasis and fascioliasis, affecting millions worldwide. - Comprises 79 minutes of video and 31 pages of reading. 4. **Nematodes**: - Discusses diseases such as filariasis, ascariasis, and hookworm infections. - Contains 90 minutes of video and 8 pages of reading. 5. **Ectoparasites**: - Focuses on fleas, ticks, and mites, emphasizing their role as vectors for disease. - Includes 30 minutes of video content and 33 pages of reading. Each cluster is designed to be engaging and informative, offering unlimited attempts for quizzes to ensure mastery of the material. #### Final Assessment The final exam is comprehensive, consisting of 45 questions divided into three parts. Remarkably, students can retake each part multiple times, with the highest score from attempts contributing to the final grade. This approach not only alleviates pressure but also encourages thorough understanding and retention of course content. #### Recommendations **Who Should Take This Course?** This course is ideal for healthcare professionals, students in related fields, public health practitioners, or anyone interested in understanding tropical diseases and their global impacts. The content is rich and scientifically robust, making it suitable for both academic pursuits and practical applications in health settings. #### Pros: - **Expert Instruction**: Learn from faculty deeply engaged in tropical medicine and parasitology. - **Comprehensive Curriculum**: Covers a wide range of parasitic diseases with real-world implications. - **Flexible Learning**: Unlimited quiz attempts and a thorough assessment strategy. - **Engagement with the Subject**: Opportunities for interaction and contribution to a learning community. #### Cons: - **Time Commitment**: The course requires a significant investment of time, especially in the Protozoans cluster. - **Dense Content**: Some students may find the amount of material overwhelming, particularly if they're new to the field. ### Conclusion In conclusion, **"Tropical Parasitology: Protozoans, Worms, Vectors, and Human Diseases"** is a highly recommended course for anyone interested in expanding their knowledge of parasitic diseases. Its extensive content, expert faculty, and supportive learning environment provide a unique opportunity for students to engage deeply with this critical area of global health. If you're ready to tackle some of the world's most pressing health challenges, this course is an excellent starting point. Enroll today and embark on a fascinating journey into the world of tropical parasitology!

Syllabus

Welcome and Course Overview

Welcome to Tropical Parasitology: Protozoans, Worms, Vectors, and Human Diseases! In this course, students will develop an understanding of important human parasitic diseases, including their life cycles, vectors of transmission, distribution and epidemiology, pathophysiology and clinical manifestations, treatment, and prevention and control. Tropical Parasitology is taught by Kilimanjaro Christian Medical University College faculty -- Drs. Frank Mosha and Mramba Nyindo (and two lecturers, Drs. Johnson Matowo and Jovin Kitau). They are joined by Dr. John Bartlett, Professor of Medicine, Global Health and Nursing at Duke University. To get started, view the video "Welcome to Tropical Parasitology," read the Course Overview, read about how the course is structured in Course Clusters, and review the Course Resources. Then move on to study the first cluster, Protozoans. Please note that the Protozoans cluster constitutes the largest content cluster in the course, and we have allocated 3 weeks to complete the work for this cluster. The other course clusters will take one week (each) to complete. We hope you enjoy the course, and we look forward to your contributions to our learning community.

We are excited to begin our Protozoa cluster, focusing on malaria, trypanosomiasis, toxoplasmosis, and leishmaniasis. Despite advances in prevention and treatment, protozoal diseases contribute substantially to the global burden of morbidity and mortality. This cluster has a total of 153 minutes of video and 85 pages of reading spread out over the four lessons. Each lesson has all of the readings, lectures, and additional materials to help you understand the topic. You will have unlimited opportunities to take an untimed quiz after you’ve mastered the material in each lesson, and you have four quizzes to complete in this cluster. (Note: this cluster includes a case study practice quiz, ungraded, which is optional). This cluster kicks off with a close look at malaria vectors and the fascinating research being done on diagnosing, treating, and vaccinating against malaria. This is by far the largest cluster in the course, so you have up to 3 weeks to complete this cluster.

The Cestodes cluster focuses on taeniasis and echinococcosis. One example of their impact is neurocysticercosis, which is estimated as the leading cause of epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries. This cluster has a total of 41 minutes of video and 31 pages of reading spread out over two lessons. You will have unlimited opportunities to take an untimed quiz after you’ve mastered the material, and you have two quizzes to complete for this cluster. This cluster begins by looking at the acquisition, manifestation, diagnosis, and treatment of neurocysticercosis, a helminthic infection of the nervous system caused by Taenia solium.

The Trematodes cluster focuses on schistosomiasis and fascioliasis. It is estimated that almost 60 million people are infested with trematodes globally. This cluster has a total of 79 minutes of video and 31 pages of reading spread out over the two lessons. You will have unlimited opportunities to take an untimed quiz after you’ve mastered the material in each lesson, and you have two quizzes to complete for this cluster. This cluster begins by looking at schistosomiasis, a common intravascular infection caused by parasitic trematode worms in contaminated water.

The Nematodes cluster focuses on filariasis, ascariasis, hookworm, and strongyloidiasis. Nematode infestations may impact up to 185 million people in recent estimates of the global burden of disease. This cluster has a total of 90 minutes of video and 8 pages of reading spread out over four lessons. You will have unlimited opportunities to take an untimed quiz after you’ve mastered the material in each lesson, and you have four quizzes to complete for this cluster. This cluster kicks off by examining lymphatic filariasis and the fundamental need for compassion as a core value in global health practice.

We are now into our final cluster, Ectoparasites, focusing on fleas, ticks and mites, lice, and pathophysiology of infestation with ectoparasites. In addition to causing annoying symptoms on their own, ectoparasites may be important vectors of human disease. This cluster only contains one lesson (Ectoparasites) and has 30 minutes of video and 33 pages of reading. You will have unlimited opportunities to take an untimed quiz after you’ve mastered the material, and you have one quiz to complete for this cluster We begin by looking at how to prevent Lyme disease through protective measures, tick reduction, and various vaccines for humans, ticks, and even reservoirs.

The final exam is a graded 3-part exam, and each part includes information from all of the disease clusters covered throughout the course. The final exam consists of 45 questions, in total. You will have unlimited attempts for each part of the final exam, with the highest scoring attempt counting toward the course grade. The final exam will contribute 60% to your total course grade (with each part of the exam having a weight of 20%).