De elektronische studiegids voor het academiejaar 2025 - 2026 is onder voorbehoud.





Parasitology and One Health (5636)
  
Coordinating lecturer :Prof. dr. Maarten VANHOVE 
  
Co-lecturer :dr. Tiziana GOBBIN 
  
Member of the teaching team :Mevrouw Martina TOPIC 
 Prof. dr. Michelle PLUSQUIN 
 Mevrouw Miriam SHIGOLEY 
 Mevrouw Nasrin ESTEKI 
 Prof. dr. Nikol KMENTOVA 

Language of instruction : English
Credits: 5,0
  
Period: semester 2 (5sp)
  
2nd Chance Exam1: Yes
  
Final grade2: Numerical
 
Sequentiality
 
   Mandatory sequentiality bound on the level of programme components
 
 
  Following programme components must have been included in your study programme in a previous education period
    Biology of the Invertebrates: part 1 (4117) 5.0 stptn
    Biology of the Intevertebrates: part 2 (4430) 4.0 stptn
    Diversity of the vertebrate (3122) 4.0 stptn
    Ecology: organisms in their environment (3123) 8.0 stptn
    Histology and Physiology of the Vertebrates (3354) 4.0 stptn
    Microbiology (5232) 5.0 stptn
 
   Mandatory sequentiality bound on the level of programme components
 
 
  Following programme components must have been included in your study programme in a previous education period
    Biology of the Invertebrates: part 1 (4117) 5.0 stptn
    Biology of the Intevertebrates: part 2 (4430) 4.0 stptn
    Diversity of the vertebrate (3122) 4.0 stptn
    Ecology: organisms in their environment (3123) 8.0 stptn
    Histology and Physiology of the Vertebrates (3354) 4.0 stptn
    Microbiology (5232) 5.0 stptn
 

Prerequisites

The student has a basic understanding of the diversity, construction, and ecology of plants, animals, and microorganisms, of evolutionary-biological concepts, and of interspecific ecological interactions.


Content

Parasitism is the most ubiquitous lifestyle on Earth, and apart from causing infectious diseases, parasites provide numerous ecosystem services, and even may offer health benefits to their hosts. The students will be introduced to the most important concepts and recent research developments in ecological and evolutionary aspects of parasitology. In line with the “One Health” concept, a lot of attention will be devoted to the interlinkages between the environment, and the health and (infectious) diseases of humans, other animals, and plants. Topics include:

  1. Brief introduction to the world of parasites and their overall importance
  2. Parasite diversity
  3. Parasite lifecycles and the link with infectious disease in humans and animals
  4. Pathological and immunological aspects
  5. Other consequences of parasites: on the individual host, its ecosystem, and the economy
  6. The evolution of helminths
  7. The question of host-specificity
  8. Co-phylogenetic analysis
  9. Wetlands: healthy ecotones as parasite hotspots
  10. Health benefits and ecosystem services of parasites
  11. Zooming in on the “old friends hypothesis”: immunity, parasites, and the microbiome
  12. Parasites in a changing world - spread and co-invasion, conservation and extinction
  13. Plant parasites: a whole different story?


Organisational and teaching methods
Organisational methods  
Excursion/Fieldwork ✔  
Lecture ✔  
Practical ✔  
Response lecture ✔  


Evaluation

Period 2    Credits 5,00

Evaluation method
Written evaluaton during teaching periode13 %
Transfer of partial marks within the academic year✔
Take-home assignment✔
Oral evaluation during teaching period12 %
Transfer of partial marks within the academic year✔
Presentation✔
Oral exam75 %
Open questions✔
Evaluation conditions (participation and/or pass)✔
Conditions Attendance during the excursion and practical sessions (where applicable) is mandatory.
Consequences The student who is absent without valid justification from an excursion or practical session will receive the following final result for the course unit: "N: examination component not fully completed: unjustified absence for part(s) of the evaluation."
Additional information

Take-home assignment: students choose a parasite taxon and present with one slide each time, their:

  • lifecycle (only for 5 ECTS);
  • pathological OR immunological effect on the host (only for 5 ECTS);
  • host-specificity OR ecology.

The students also write a document of one page about each topic. 

Second examination period

Evaluation second examination opportunity different from first examination opprt
No
Explanation (English)The take-home-assignment cannot be repeated during the resit exams.
 

Compulsory course material
 

Reader (relevant articles and book chapters will be made available through Blackboard). Slides with the lectures. It is expected of the students to take notes during lectures. 


Learning outcomes
Bachelor of Biology
  •  EC 

    • EC 1: A graduate of the Bachelor of Biology programme has acquired extensive knowledge and an accurateand deepunderstandingof the living worldatthe molecular, cellular, functional, organismal, population and ecosystem level.

  •  EC 

    • EC 2: A graduate of the Bachelor of Biology programmehas insight in the processesthat establish the basis of the evolution of life. He or she is able to integrate new knowledge gatheredat various biologicalscales in the theory of evolution.

  •  EC 

    • EC 3:A graduate of the Bachelor of Biology programmetakes into account thenecessity of the inter- and multidisciplinary approach to examine the living world in all its aspects. He/she has to that end extensive knowledge and insight in other relevantfields of science (chemistry, physics, geology).

  •  EC 

    • EC 8:A graduate of the Bachelor of Biology programme is able to report and present orally and in writing in Dutch and in English. He or she is able to communicate about his or her field of study both with colleagues and non-colleagues.

  •  EC 

    • EC 12: A graduate of the Bachelor of Biology programmehas insight into thesocial relevance of biology, he or she knows the stakeholders in the work field. A graduate of the Bachelor of Biology knows the impact of man on nature, he or she acts as an advocate for the biosphereand respects the principles of sustainability.

 
  EC = learning outcomes      DC = partial outcomes      BC = evaluation criteria  
Offered inTolerance3
3rd year Bachelor of Biology package of optional programme components Biology J
Exchange Programme Biology J



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2   Education, Examination and Legal Position Regulations art.15.1, section 3.
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