Veterinary Parasitology

Course Director: Dr. Ray Kaplan, DVM, PhD, DipACVM, DipEVPC (Professor of Veterinary Parasitology) 

• Email: rkaplan@sgu.edu 
• Office Phone: 473-444-4175 x3671 
• Mobile Phone: 473-459-4126
• WhatsApp: 706-340-2748
• Office Location: 207 St. Georges Hall 
• Office Hours: Can be made by appointment 

Co-Course Director: Mrs. Camille-Marie Coomansingh-Springer, MSc, PhD candidate (Instructor) 

• Email: ccoomansingh@sgu.edu
• Office Phone: 444-4175 ext. 3707
• Office Location: Clinical Parasitology Lab (in the back of the Research Building)
• Office Hours: Can be made by appointment

Mr. Dan Fitzpatrick, MSc (Instructor - VP)

• Email: dmfitz5432@yahoo.com
• Office Location: Remote
• Office Hours: Can be made by appointment 

Lectures in Ray and Jan Sis Hall #2. Sakai resources being used (ie. Panopto, Lessons, Assignments, etc.). Labs in Marion Hall Microbiology Lab. All lecture power points, review DES documents/power points and study guides are in their respective folders in “Resources” on Sakai (select “Course Tools” and click on “Resources”). 

Lecture power points and pdfs, lab handouts/worksheets and other required resources such as documents, videos and links will be posted on Sakai in “Resources” folders. 

Course notes and other supplemental resources will be available on Sakai (select “Course Tools” and click on “Resources”. All resources will be in labeled folders. 

Optional resources:

• “Georgi’s Parasitology for Veterinarians”, 11^th Edition (2019), Dwight Bowman (editor), also available as an e-book. Excellent life cycle diagrams and color photographs. (older editions are available at reduced cost)
• “Veterinary Parasitology: Reference Manual”, 5^th Edition William Foreyt (editor), also available as an e-book. Excellent reference for clinical practice ($US 50); also available as an e-book.
• “Principles of Veterinary Parasitology”, 1^st Edition (2015), Dennis Jacobs, Mark Fox, Lynda Gibbons, Carlos Hermosilla (editors), also available as an e-book (www.wiley.com/vet) 
• “Veterinary Clinical Parasitology”, 9th Edition, Anne M. Zajac, Gary A. Conboy, Susan E. Little, Mason V. Reichard (editors), ISBN: 978-1-119-30077-9 Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell. (older editions are available at reduced cost)
• Other useful books for reference are available in the library. 
• Selected reference books will be available for use in every laboratory session.

Helpful websites:

• http://www.cdc.gov  (Centers for Disease Control & Prevention) http://www.capcvet.org/ (Companion Animal Parasite Council)
• http://www.ncvetp.org (National Center for Veterinary Parasitology; Oklahoma State Univ)
• https://www.heartwormsociety.org/ (American Heartworm Society)
• http://www.wormx.info (American Consortium for Small Ruminant Control)
• http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.html (Merck Veterinary Manual)
• https://www.youtube.com/user/elsevetchannel (Parasites plain and simple videos)
• http://www.veterinaryparasitology.com (Monster Hunter’s Guide to Vet Para – image database)

• Students with disabilities who need accommodations should contact Student Accessibility and Accommodations Services (SAAS), located in the Dean of Students Office.
• Information can be found at mycampus.sgu.edu/group/saas

Computer or other electronic devices to review lectures, etc. Reliable internet service.

Provide a basic understanding of the biology of protozoan and metazoan parasites, understanding relevant host-parasite relationships which are needed to pursue clinical studies and future professional development, and strategies for the diagnosis, treatment and control of the most important parasites.  

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

CLO1: Explain the clinical manifestation and epidemiology of parasitic disease in terms of the             biology and life cycle of the parasite. 

CLO2: Know how to diagnose the various types of parasites.

CLO3:  Describe the major clinical signs of the most important parasite species.

CLO4: Explain the various ways in which animals become infected with parasites, and especially   with those parasites of the greatest clinical importance

CLO5: Know which parasites present the greatest zoonotic concern and be able to discuss the                           public health implications of the major zoonotic parasites.

CLO6: Identify parasites of veterinary importance by their appearance at postmortem examination   and in fecal or other appropriate diagnostic samples.

CLO7: Know the spectrum of activity of the major groups of drugs used for parasite treatment. CLO8: Discuss treatment and control strategies for the most important parasites of veterinary and   zoonotic importance.

Clinical case discussions will be incorporated in the lectures and labs. Core material is mostly presented as illustrated lectures and correlating laboratory sessions. The course notes are a detailed reference to help your understanding, but testable material will come from the power points.

The lesson learning outcomes LLOs are located at the beginning of each lecture ppt/pdf and in each laboratory handout.

• PLO3: Recall, understand, and adequately utilize knowledge of etiology, pathogenesis and pathology of common infectious, non-infectious, and zoonotic diseases, including biosafety and biosecurity considerations.
• PLO 4: Explain the relationship between disease processes and clinical signs.
• PLO 5 Recall, understand, and adequately utilize knowledge of and apply principles of therapeutic agents and their application, including relevant legislation and guidelines on the use of medicines.
• PLO 6: Apply multidisciplinary scientific knowledge to clinical situations and understand evidence-based scientific knowledge 
• PLO 7 Evaluate and analyze normal versus abnormal animal behavior.
• PLO 9: Apply the principles of veterinary public health for the promotion of human and animal health. 
• PLO 20 Execute a comprehensive patient diagnostic plan and demonstrate problem solving skills to arrive at a diagnosis.
• PLO 21 Create comprehensive treatment plans.
• PLO 24 Analyze, design and execute appropriate plans for medical case management.
• PLO 26 Design and execute plans for health promotion, disease prevention, food safety, biosafety and biosecurity.

There will be two 90 minute exams, and two 30 minute quizzes. The midterm and final exams will have 50 questions @ 1 point each. Each quiz will have 20 questions @ 1 point each. All exams and quizzes will be multiple choice questions (ExamSoft) in which some of the questions may require visualization of an image to answer. Total quiz/exam points = 140. In addition there will be three formative quizzes posted to Sakai and written case summaries, which will be submitted. These will yield another 20 points for a total of 160 points for the course.

The midterm and final exams will be cumulative, but only for each half of the course. In total there will be approximately 2.5 questions on average per Lecture/lab period (2-3 questions per session). Based on this, the breakdown of material on Quizzes and Exams are as follows:

• Quiz 1: All material through and including Lecture 11 and Lab 2
• Midterm: All material through and including Lecture 25 and Lab 6 (end of helminths). Approximately 25% of questions will come from the material covered on Quiz 1 section and approximately 75% from the material covered since Quiz 1.
• Quiz 2: Material from Lectures 26-33 and labs 8-9 (all of Protozoa section)
• Final Exam: All material since the midterm (all of protozoa and ectoparasites) with approximately 20% of questions coming from the Protozoa section (Lec 26-33 and Labs 8-9) and 80% from the Ectoparasite section (Lec 35-47 and labs 10-12).

In addition, students will hand in case reports that will be composed of notes from the case discussions during the labs. These will not be graded for accuracy, but rather will be checked to determine if thought was put into the exercise. If deemed acceptable 1 point will be earned up to a total of 10 points. There will be more than 10 labs with case discussions. Case reports will be due within 3 days of the case lab session (by Monday at 12PM), will be submitted on Sakai and will consist of the following:

• names of the students in the group o it is preferred that the groups stay the same throughout the course, but changes can be made to accommodate as needed.
• notes of the group work in addressing the case before the broader class-level discussion 
• after the class-level discussion additional notes should be added to address the following:
  • What were the two most significant things that you learned during the class-level discussion? 

Five formative open book quizzes will be posted to Sakai for completion. Students will earn 2 points if a grade of 70% or higher is achieved. These can be retaken until a 70% is achieved. This will yield an opportunity for 10 points.

Students are expected to read the laboratory handout prior to the lab and answer the questions posed in the handout. All students will be required to observe the laboratory demonstrations and/or  participate in the wet lab exercises and case discussions.  All material covered in lab is testable. A lab coat and closed toed shoes are to be worn in the laboratory.

Information regarding ExamSoft assessments:

A grade reduction of 5% will be applied to that exam if students do not observe the following parameters during exams monitored online: 

1. Avoid talking out loud.
2. Avoid looking away from the monitor.
3. Avoid having distractions (animals, people) in or walking through the room or making noise during the exam.
4. Check that your webcam is recording your full face at all times with adequate lighting.

 Grading Scale

In preparing for the laboratory each week, keep in mind the following suggestions to help you in your studies:

1. It is important that you attend and actively participate in all laboratory exercises.  Attendance is mandatory and will be taken each laboratory session. Answer the questions and outcomes/objectives in your lab manual each week. Parasitology is a “hands-on” discipline. The more you handle materials and see the parasites of veterinary importance, the more comfortable and prepared you will feel in tackling clinical problems.  If you happen to have or find parasites outside of the lab setting, bring them in to share with the class! 
2. Keep up with your work in class and find time for review of past weeks materials.  Do not leave studying to the last minute and expect to catch up by “cramming” right before exams. Attending the DES help sessions will be helpful and is recommended. There are many parasite names and important details associated with parasite diagnosis so give yourself plenty of time to assimilate and understand this information.
3. Making an effort to understand the material, rather than just memorizing a bunch of facts will greatly assist in performing well on the exams. Using laboratory time to reinforce your understanding of the material will pay great dividends on the exams.

The lab handouts, course notes, orientation schedule and power points will be posted in designated folders in “Resources” on Sakai. Reading the laboratory handouts and answering all the questions will help with your comprehension of the material. 

Identification, diagnosis, treatment and control of parasites in domestic animals represent a significant portion of most veterinary practices.  Therefore, a solid grounding in the basics of veterinary parasitology will be an extremely valuable asset to carry with you both during your advanced training here at St. George’s University, School of Veterinary Medicine, and after you leave the program. For many of you, this course will be your only formal exposure to diagnostic veterinary parasitology.  However, it is our hope that in the course of your studies, you will gain the necessary tools and basic information to be effective clinicians in dealing with parasitology problems.

All students are expected to conduct themselves in a respectful and professional manner. Cell phones should be muted during lecture and lab sessions. Treat your professors and colleagues with respect. Examinations and quizzes are sequestered. Memorizing questions and maintaining them in “banks” to share is a violation of the SGU Honor Code. Such violations can result in a formal disciplinary hearing.

Although lecture attendance is not mandatory, it is highly recommended. All lectures can be viewed on Panopto (using the Parasitology media site on Sakai). All laboratory sessions ARE mandatory. It is important that you attend your scheduled laboratory session unless there is an extenuating circumstance (e.g., medical excuse or doctor’s appointment). Excused absences to attend a wedding, meeting, etc. must be approved by the DOS office.  

Students who fail to appear for an examination without a valid reason (see student manual: SGUSVM POLICY ON AN EXCUSED ABSENCE (EA) FOR STUDENTS) will receive a score of “0” points for the examination. 

Students who have technical issues during the examination MUST inform the Course Director(s) rkaplan@sgu.edu; ccoomansingh@sgu.edu; dfitzpatrick@sgu.edu and IT (tellexaminationservices@sgu.edu OR support@sgu.edu OR call 1-631-665-8500 ext. 4444 (US, NU, International) OR 1-473-439-2000 ext. 4444 (Grenada), AND Dean of Students (DOS@sgu.edu OR call 473-534-1982) during the open period for the examination. Failure to do so immediately will result in the student receiving the highest score recorded at the time, but NOT being eligible to take a completion examination.

Scheduling of examinations (regular, re-sit, completion, comprehensive, or exemption) is at the discretion of the University.

All students are responsible for knowing and complying with the University’s Code of Conduct and the guidelines. Students must read and then sign the Honor Code statement at the start of examinations to indicate that they will comply with the University Code of Conduct. 

Prior to Exam Day

1. Each student is required to have a laptop for the purpose of taking computerbased examinations (e-Exams) at SGU. Students must ensure that their laptops meet the current minimum system requirements prior to exam day:
2. Examinees must use their MY SGU Member Center username and password to access the Custom Home Page (www.examsoft.com/sgu) created by ExamSoft for the University.
3. Examinees are responsible for downloading and registering the latest version of Examplify on their laptop prior to exam day. Once Examplify has been successfully downloaded, examinees are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the software by downloading and taking practice exams.
4. Examinees are responsible for setting their laptop up for ExamMonitor prior to the exam (see links below).
5. Examinees will be notified via MyCourses, of all exam related information. Email notifications will also be sent from ExamSoft Support to examinees, notifying them of examinations available for downloading.
6. Examinees experiencing difficulties with their laptop are encouraged to visit the IT department for assistance prior to exam day. Examinees needing a laptop must visit the Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) to request an exam loaner.
7. Examinees should visit the following information to familiarize themselves with the online proctored exam format and set up their baseline photo.
   1. A Examsoft/ExamID quick guide for students (Please note that the current Examplify version is 2.3.8)
   2. The Examsoft student perspective video 30mins
   3. The Examsoft/ExamID FAQ  
   4. Examsoft information page
   5. The general Reminders/Guidelines