Duration
24h Th, 8h Pr
Number of credits
| Bachelor in veterinary medicine | 4 crédits |
Lecturer
Language(s) of instruction
French language
Organisation and examination
Teaching in the first semester, review in January
Schedule
Units courses prerequisite and corequisite
Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program
Learning unit contents
The course is dealing with all the biological groups of eucaryotic organisms potentially responsible for different diseases in domesticated and wild animals but also for some zoonoses, i.e. the fungi, the protozoa, the helminths and the arthropods, all of these being named "parasites" below.
For each biological group, the systematics, morphology, biology, physiology and some biochemical and immunological aspects of host-parasite relationship are described successively. For each group, some examples are developed in detail during the lectures and are illustrated mainly with PowerPoint presentations and/or videos.
The course is primarily intended to provide an overview on the different biological groups of parasites, which is an indispensable basis for further study of parasitic and fungal diseases.
Learning outcomes of the learning unit
At the end of the training, the student will be able to
- describe and reproduce the morphological and biological characteristics of the parasites having been studied, having incorporated the common characteristics in the different biological groups of parasites;
- understand and explain the complex relationships between these parasites, their hosts et the environment;
- identify and recognize the parasites and their structures in macro- and microscopic preparations, including in organ and tissue samples, fluids and excreta;
- apply his/her knowledge on biological parasitic groups in the study of new parasites present in different bioclimatic areas;
- analyze a scientific text dealing with parasite biology in the broad sense;
- address the further study of the parasitic and fungal diseases.
Prerequisite knowledge and skills
Fundamental knowledge in general biology, cell biology, biochemistry, histology, physiology, immunology, genetics and anatomy are necessary.
Planned learning activities and teaching methods
The course of veterinary Parasitology and Mycology consists in
- ex cathedra lectures in amphitheater and/or online, adorned with questions/answers and discussions on issues from the real working life, dedicated to integration and use of the knowledge to solve a practical problem;
- practical work (see detail below);
- scientific documents (see below "Recommended or required readings") provided by the teacher early in the year, to be read independently by the student who is then invited to ask questions to the professor face-to-face during breaks, practical sessions or by appointment;
- if materiel constraints permit, a facultative online formative MCQ test with individual and potentially group feedback; this test is offered to students at the end of the course, before the start of the studying and examination period. This MCQ test is organized via eCampus with the logistical support of IFRES. Access to the feedback in group is restricted to students having passed the test. Conditions of the test are available via eCampus before its completion;
- if materiel constraints permit, a multiple-choice self-assessment test online, optional, with individual feedback; this test is available to students during the Christmas session before the January examination, and is managed via eCampus.
Practicals (8h/student) are dispensed at odds with the lectures as far as possible. They allow the student to observe the parasites of the relevant biological groups. They are not only an illustration of the theoretical course, but also a necessary complement to be integrated into the learning of veterinary Parasitology and Mycology.
Practicals are dispensed in groups of maximum 60 students in a microscopy room, with face-to-face assistants and/or scientific collaborators, and/or online via eCampus. PowerPoint presentations illustrating parasites and parasitic structures to be identified on macro- and microscopic preparations are available online via eCampus. They must be visualized by the students before each corresponding practical session. The student works alone on the basis of different learning materials (lectures, practical's PowerPoint, Veterinary Parasitology illustrated CD-Rom, online support). The professor and/or the assistants and/or the scientific collaborators are available to help the student in his/her approach.
To maximize his/her learning during the practicals, it is strongly recommended to the student to have completed the lectures and prepared the practical sessions by consulting the educational available materials prior to the session.
Attendance at practicals is compulsory. Any absence must be justified by a medical certificate in proper form and reported as soon as possible to the head of the lab electronically (tpparasito@uliege.be). Access to the final examination will not be allowed to students who have a non-justified absence to the practicals.
Depending of academic possibilities, one or several invited speakers could give one or more ex cathedra lectures or practical on specific subjects.
Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)
Face-to-face course
Further information:
The lectures and the practicals are dispensed face-to-face. Online teaching will only be used if necessary (at the discretion of the professor).
Lectures for the current academic year are not postcasted.
Course materials and recommended or required readings
Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus
Further information:
Course notes consist of slides (texts, pictures, tables and figures projected during lectures and during practicals). These PowerPoint notes are available on eCampus. They consist of a basis that must be completed by information given during lectures and practicals.
An illustrated CDRom dedicated to Veterinary Parasitology in temperate regions and several documents as support for practicals are available online on eCampus.
One or more scientific papers (original article, review, position paper, news article ...) related to the course can be provided during the year. They must be read in order to develop the capacity for understanding and analyzing information related to the subject taught. More detailed information about professor's expectations will be provided during lectures and via eCampus. The final examination may include one or more questions on these texts.
Reference books (that can be consulted):
Parasitology in Veterinary Medicine. Peter Deplazes, Johannes Eckert, Alexander Mathis, Georg von Samson-Himmelstjerna and Horst Zahner. Wageningen Academic Publishers, 2016. ISBN: 978-90-8686-274-0.
Veterinary Parasitology. 4th Edition. M.A. Taylor, R.L. Coop, R.L. Wall, Eds. 2016, Oxford, Wiley Blackwell Publishing. ISBN: 978-0-470-67162-7.
Essentials of Veterinary Parasitology. H.M. Elsheikha, N.A. Khan, Eds. 2011, Norfolk, Caister Academic Press. ISBN: 978-1-904455-80-6.
Parasitology: A conceptual Approach. E.S. Loker, B. Hofkin, 2022, New York & London. ISBN: 9780367228873.
Exam(s) in session
Any session
- In-person
written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire, open-ended questions ) AND oral exam
Further information:
The examination is indivisible. It includes a theoretical and a practical examination.
The theoretical examination (in January) is a written one and includes questions on all taught material (primarily lectures, scientific texts, practical sessions, course notes available on eCampus) written in the form of long assays and/or short assays and/or multiple choices and/or true-false and/or text with holes and/or association questions and/or texts analysis. It aims to evaluate the outcomes defined above, i.e. knowledge on the morphology/biology of parasites of different biological groups, understanding the relationship of the parasites with their hosts and the environment, and the student's capacity to apply his knowledge to a new context in veterinary Parasitology and Mycology. The points for each question are given to the student.
The second session theoretical examination is an oral one, unless material constraints cannot allow it. The student has 60 minutes for the written preparation of one or two randomly selected questions and for answering the questions relative to the practical examination by written. The examination itself consists of an interview of 10 to 20 minutes with the professor starting on the prepared question(s) and continuing with additional questions on all other aspects of the course, both theoretical and practical ones.
Depending on the year, in the second session, a written examination including QROL and/or QROC and/or MCQ can be organized instead of the oral examination, the practical work examination remaining. If necessary, it is announced before the start of the second session.
The teacher's expectations and the spirit of the examination are identical to those prevailing in the first session. The knowledge of the life cycles within the main biological groups of parasites, those of illustrative parasites and of parasites seen during the practical work is mandatory. The attention of students is drawn to the fact that questions of the written first session theoretical examination can be asked during the second session theoretical examination.
The practical examination consists in the identification of different parasites and parasitic structures with the naked eye, under the microscope and/or based on photographic documents.
For the first session, 80% and 20% of the final grade depend from the theoretical and the practical examination, respectively.
For the second session, a grade of 13/20 for the practicals work is necessary to be successful in the final examination. A grade equal or above 16/20 for the practical work allows to positively modulating the final grade (one additional point). If the examination is entirely wriiten, these rules do not apply.
Work placement(s)
Organisational remarks and main changes to the course
The realization of photographs and audio documents (recording) is allowed during courses and practicals, but only for personal use. Diffusion of such documents is not allowed.
The realization of videos or other audio-visual documents during courses, except those that are performed by the professor, is prohibited.
Late arrival to the theoretical course is not allowed.
Contacts
Electronic contact should be preferred.
Emails relating to administrative and/or organisation matters should always be addressed or copied to the secretary (Mrs Cécile Rode).
Lecturer:
Prof. Bernard Mignon
bmignon@uliege.be
Assistant (Practical work):
Dr Wilfried Poirier
tpparasito@uliege.be
wilfried.poirier@uliege.be
Technician (Practical work):
Mrs. Françoise Maréchal
fmarechal@uliege.be
Tel: 04/366 40 98
Scientific collaborators:
Dr Florence Lemaire
Dr Ariane Meerschaert
Dr Nicolas Moreaux
tpparasito@uliege.be
Secretariat:
Mrs. Cécile Rode
cecile.rode@uliege.be
Tel: 04/366 40 92 (Monday & Thursday)
Association of one or more MOOCs
There is no MOOC associated with this course.
Additional information:
eCampus
Items online
See eCampus and CD-Rom
Teaching and course materials on eCampus