BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN MEDICAL TECHNOLOGY /

MEDICAL LABORATORY SCIENCE

COURSE OUTLINE IN CLINICAL PARASITOLOGY

(CMO 13 series 2017)

Course Title: CLINICAL PARASITOLOGY

Course Credit: 3 units (2 units lecture and 1 unit laboratory)
Contact Hours: Lecture: 2 hours per week (36 hours)
Laboratory: 3 hours per week (54 hours)
Placement: Second Year, 2nd Semester
Pre-requisites: Human Anatomy and Physiology with Pathophysiology, Biochemistry

Course Description:

This course deals with the study of human parasites which are of medical importance especially
those commonly found in the Philippines. Emphasis is given in the morphology; epidemiology;
pathogenicity; laboratory diagnosis of their specific diseases; distribution and life cycle as well
as control and preventive measures against infection.

Course Outcomes:
At the end of this course, the student should be able to:

1. identify medically important parasites with emphasis on their characteristics, pathophysiology,

life cycle, specimens used for identification, and diagnostic features. 
2. perform routine and special laboratory tests used in the identification of parasites in different
samples.  
3. discuss the importance of prevention and control of parasitic infection.
4. apply the values and skills learned from this course in the prevention, control, and elimination of
parasitic infections. 

Course Topic Outline:

1. Introduction to Parasitology
a. Definition of Terms
b. Types of host
c. Types of Parasites
d. Modes of transmission and portal of entry
e. Types of life cycle
f. Classification of Parasites
g. Host-Parasite Relationship
h. Pathophysiology and symptomatology of parasitic Infections/infestation
i. Prevention and Control
j. Quality Assurance and Control

2. Nematodes (Roundworms)
a. Aphasmids (Adenophorea)
i. Trichuris trichiura
ii. Trichinella spiralis
iii. Capillaria philippinensis
1. General Characteristics
2. Morphology
3. Pathophysiology
4. Life cycle
 5. Specimens used for identification
6. Diagnostic features of each stage
7. Treatment, prevention and control
8. Epidemiology

b. Phasmids
i. Ascaris lumbricoides
ii. Toxocara cati
iii. Toxocara canis
iv. Necator americanus
v. Ancylostoma duodenale
vi. Ancylostoma braziliense
vii. Ancylostoma caninum
viii. Strongyloides stercoralis
ix. Enterobius vermicularis
x. Gnathostoma spinigerum
xi. Angiostrongylus cantonensis
xii. Dracunculus medinensis
xiii. Filaria
1. Wuchereria bancrofti
2. Brugia malayi
3. Loa loa
4. Onchocerca volvulus
5. Mansonella perstans
6. Mansonella streptocerca
7. Mansonella ozzardi

a. General Characteristics
b. Morphology
c. Pathophysiology
d. Life cycle
e. Specimens used for identification
f. Diagnostic features of each stage
g. Treatment, prevention and control
h. Epidemiology

3. Cestodes (Tapeworms)
a. Taenia saginata
b. Taenia solium
c. Hymenolepis nana
d. Hymenolepis diminuta
e. Diphylobothrium latum (Dibothriocephalus latus)
f. Echinococcus granulosus
g. Spirometra mansoni
h. Raillietina garrisoni
i. Dipylidium caninum

1. General Characteristics
2. Morphology
3. Pathophysiology
4. Life cycle
5. Specimens used for identification
6. Diagnostic features of each stage
7. Treatment, prevention and control
8. Epidemiology
 4. Trematodes (Flukes)
a. Liver Flukes
i. Fasciola hepatica
ii. Fasciola gigantica
iii. Fasciola lanceolata
iv. Clonorchis sinensis
v. Opistorchis felineus
vi. Opistorchis viverrini

b. Intestinal Flukes
i. Fasciolopsis buski
ii. Echinostoma ilocanum
iii. Artyfechinostomum malayanum
iv. Heterophyes heterophyes

c. Lung Fluke
i. Paragonimus westermani

d. Blood Flukes
i. Schistosoma japonicum
ii. Schistosoma mansoni
iii. Schistosoma haematobium
iv. Schistosoma mekongi

1. General Characteristics
2. Morphology
3. Pathophysiology
4. Life cycle
5. Specimens used for identification
6. Diagnostic features of each stage
7. Treatment, prevention and control
8. Epidemiology

5. Protozoa

a. Sarcodina: Parasitic Amoeba

i. Entamoeba histolytica
ii. Entamoeba coli
iii. Entamoeba hartmani
iv. Endolimax nana
v. Iodamoeba butschlii
vi. Entamoeba gingivalis
1. General Characteristics
2. Morphology
3. Pathophysiology
4. Life cycle
5. Specimens used for identification
6. Diagnostic features of each stage
7. Treatment, prevention and control
8. Epidemiology

b. Rhizopoda: Pathogenic Free-Living Amoeba

i. Naegleria fowleri
ii. Acanthamoeba culbertsoni
iii. Acanthamoeba polyphaga
iv. Acanthamoeba castellani
v. Acanthamoeba astronyxis
 1. General Characteristics
2. Morphology
3. Pathophysiology
4. Life cycle
5. Specimens used for identification
6. Diagnostic features of each stage
7. Treatment, prevention and control
8. Epidemiology

c. Ciliata
i. Balantidium coli
1. General Characteristics
2. Morphology
3. Pathophysiology
4. Life cycle
5. Specimens used for identification
6. Diagnostic features of each stage
7. Treatment, prevention and control
8. Epidemiology

d. Zoomastigophorea: Atrial Flagellates

i. Giardia lamblia (Giardia duodenalis)
ii. Trichomonas vaginalis
iii. Trichomonas hominis
iv. Trichomonas tenax
v. Dientamoeba fragilis
vi. Chilomastix mesnili
1. General Characteristics
2. Morphology
3. Pathophysiology
4. Life cycle
5. Specimens used for identification
6. Diagnostic features of each stage
7. Treatment, prevention and control
8. Epidemiology

e. Blood and Tissue Flagellates

i. Trypanasoma gambiense
ii. Trypanosoma rhodosiense
iii. Trypanosoma cruzi
iv. Leishmania brasiliense
v. Leishmania donovani
vi. Leishmania tropica
vii. Leishmania mexicana

f. Sporozoa: Plasmodia
i. Plasmodium falciparum
ii. Plasmodium vivax
iii. Plasmodium malariae
iv. Plasmodium ovale
v. Plasmodium knowlesi
1. General Characteristics
2. Morphology
3. Pathophysiology
4. Life cycle
5. Specimens used for identification
6. Diagnostic features of each stage
 7. Treatment, prevention and control
8. Epidemiology

g. Sporozoa: Coccidian
i. Cystoisospora belli (Isospora belli)
ii. Eimeria spp.
iii. Toxoplasma gondii
iv. Sarcocystis hominis
v. Sarcocystis suihominis
vi. Sarcocystis lindemanni
vii. Cryptosporidium spp.
viii. Cyclospora cayetanensis
1. General Characteristics
2. Morphology
3. Pathophysiology
4. Life cycle
5. Specimens used for identification
6. Diagnostic features of each stage
7. Treatment, prevention and control
8. Epidemiology

REFERENCES:

1. Belizario, V.Y Jr. and W. U. De Leon. (2016). Philippine Textbook of Parasitology, 3rd ed.
Manila: Publications Program
2. John, D and Petri, William (2010). Markell and Voge’s Medical Parasitology 10th ed. USA:
Saunders 2010
3. Leventhal, R. & Cheadle, R. (2012). Medical Parasitology: A Self-Instructional Text. 6th ed.
Philadelphia: iGroup Press Co., Ltd.
4. Burton, J et.al (2019). Human Parasitology 5th Edition Academic Press, Elsevier Inc.
5. Mahon, Connie R., and Lehaman, Donald C. (2019) Textbook of Diagnostic Microbiology. 6th
ed. Saunders.
6. McPherson, Richard A. and Matthew R. Pincus. (2017). Henry’s Clinical Diagnosis and
Management by Laboratory Methods 22nd ed. Philadelphia: Elsevier Inc.,
7. Nabarro, L., Morris-Jones, S, and Moore, D. Peter’s (2019). Atlas of Tropical Medicine and
Parasitology 7th Edition Elsevier, Inc.
8. Tille, Patricia M. (2017) Bailey, and Scott’s Diagnostic Microbiology. 14th ed. Elsevier Inc.
9. Garcia, L. (2016). Diagnostic Medical Parasitology 6th ed. USA: ASM Press
10. Department of Health Guidelines

Journals
1. Journal of Microbiology
2. Journal of Parasitology

Websites
1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Diseases and Conditions:
https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/az.html
2. World Health Organization Infectious Diseases: https://www.who.int/topics/infectious_diseases/en/
3. Department of Health: https://www.doh.gov.ph/
4. Research Institute for Tropical Medicine: http://ritm.gov.ph/

Prepared by:
Lead Person – Clinical Parasitology

Members:
JULIUS T. CAPILI, PhD, RMT
Dean, School of Medical Technology
Cagayan State University

ALVIN REY F. FLORES, MPH, RMT

Faculty, Department of Medical Technology
Faculty of Pharmacy
University of Santo Tomas

NINI F. LIM, PhD, RMT

Dean, School of Medical Technology
Philippine Women’s University

GEROMIL J. LARA, MSMT, RMT

Program Chairperson, Department of Medical Technology
Lyceum of the Philippines University Davao

QUEEN JANE M. BACON, MSMT, RMT

Program Coordinator, Master of Science in Medical Technology
Faculty, College of Medical and Biological Sciences
University of the Immaculate Concepcion Davao