The molecular epidemiology of parasites

Hide, Geoff

Abstract

This chapter discusses the basic principles of the epidemiology of parasites and surveys the application of modem molecular biology technology to the understanding of parasite epidemiology. One of the primary problems in parasite epidemiology is the correlation of a given disease with its causative organism. Identification of the primary causative parasite is crucial not only to treatment procedures but also to the understanding of the epidemiology of the disease. In some cases, the causative parasite species is easily identified as in the cases of larger, morphologically distinct, parasites such as Ascaris lumbricoides or Taenia spp. Other parasites, such as protozoa, are more difficult to distinguish and can appear to be morphologically very similar but have different disease characteristics. For example, the malaria parasites are morphologically similar but have different levels of virulence, with P. falciparum being the most serious. A considerable amount of information has been accumulated covering the epidemiology of most parasitic diseases, using classical parasitological and medical studies.

Citation

Hide, G. (1998). The molecular epidemiology of parasites. . Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1569-2582%2897%2980018-9

• Publication Date: 1998
• Deposit Date: Mar 15, 2024
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Series Title: Principles of Medical Biology
• Chapter Number: 34
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S1569-2582%2897%2980018-9