The Biology of Parasites

1. General Aspects of Parasite Biology
1.1 Introduction to Parasitology and Its Terminology
1.2 What Is Unique About Parasites?
1.3 The Impact of Parasites on Host Individuals and Host Populations
1.4 Parasite-Host Coevolution
1.5 Influence of Parasites on Mate Choice
1.6 Immunobiology of Parasites
1.7 How Parasites Alter Their Hosts

2 Biology of Parasitic Protozoa
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Metamonada
2.3 Parabasala
2.4 Amoebaozoa
2.5 Euglenozoa (Trypanosoma, Leishmania)
2.6 Alveolata (Apicomplexa, Ciliophora)

3 Parasitis Worms
3.1 Platyhelminths (Trematodes, Cestodes)
3.2 Acanthocephala
3.3 Nematoda (Dorylaimea, Chromadorea)

4 Arthropods
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Acari - Mites and Ticks
4.3 Crustacea
4.4 Insecta (Phthiraptera, Heteroptera, Siphonaptera, Diptera)

Answers to Questions
Alphabetical Index

Richard Lucius heads the department of Molecular Parasitology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (Germany). His work concentrates on the interaction between parasites and their host`s immune system. He is bearer of the Leuckart medal of the German Society of Parasitology and of the Behring-Bilharz medal.

Brigitte Frank is emeritus Professor for Parasitology at Universität Hohenheim (Germany). Since the 1990s, she has studied the life cycles of Dicrocoelium dendriticum and other trematodes as well as of cestodes of the genus Mesocestoides and Taenia. She has also worked on the biology of lung mites and other arthropod mammalian parasites.

Richard Lane was formerly Director of Science at the Natural History Museum, London (UK). As a medical entomologist he studied the transmission of several insect-borne diseases, especially leishmanaisis. He has also been Head of the Vector Biology Unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and Head of International Health at the Wellcome Trust.

Robert Poulin is Professor of Zoology at the University of Otago (New Zealand). His research group focuses on broad questions in parasite ecology and evolution. He was awarded the Hutton Medal from the Royal Society of New Zealand and the Wardle Medal from the Canadian Society of Zoologists for his outstanding contribution to parasitology.

Craig W. Roberts is Professor of Parasitology at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow (UK). His current research concentrates on (i) the interaction of Toxoplasma gondii and Acanthamoeba with their host and how this knowledge can be exploited for vaccines design and new antimicrobials and (ii) the influence of sex and pregnancy associated hormones on immunity.

Richard Grencis is Professor of Immunology at the University of Manchester (UK). His research has focused on immune responses to parasites, especially intestinal nematodes. He was awarded the Wright Medal from the British Society for Parasitology for his outstanding contribution to Parasitology and he serves as co-editor-in-chief of the journal Parasite Immunology.

R. Lucius, Humboldt University, Berlin, Germany; B. Loos-Frank, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany; R. P. Lane, Kilmington, UK; R. Poulin, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; C. Roberts, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK; R. K. Grencis, University of Manchester, UK