The study of parasitic organisms at the molecular level has yielded fascinating new insights of great medical, social, and economical importance, and has pointed the way for the treatment and prevention of the diseases they cause. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Parasites presents an up-to-date account of this modern scientific discipline in a manner that allows and encourages the reader to place the biochemistry and molecular biology of these organisms in their biological context. The chapters are cross-referenced and grouped in an arrangement that provides a fully integrated whole, and permits the reader to create a composite of the biochemical function of these organisms.Individual chapter includes those devoted to metabolism, in both aerobic and anaerobic protozoa; antioxidant mechanisms; parasite surfaces; organelles; invasion mechanisms; and chemotherapy. The helminths are discussed not only from the point of view of their cellular biochemistry and metabolism, but also with respect to both their integrated functions such as neurochemistry, structure and functions of surfaces, and reproduction. Written by expert investigators, this book will be of interest to all experienced researchers, graduate students, and to the newcomer eager to become familiar with the biochemistry and molecular biology of parasites.

Biochemistry and Physiology of Protozoa, Volume I focuses on the chemical and physiological features of Protozoa, including nutrition, metabolism, and growth of phytoflagellates, Trypanosomidae and Bodonidae, biochemistry of ciliates and Plasmodium, and the influence of antimalarials. The selection first offers information on the biochemistry of Protozoa and phytoflagellates, including sexuality in Chlamydomonas, growth factors and chemical asepsis, descriptive chemistry and phylogenetic relationships, evolutionary aspects of photosynthesis, nutrition and biochemistry of Protozoa, and the biochemical evolution of Protozoa. The text then ponders on the nutrition of parasitic flagellates and metabolism of Trypanosomidae and Bodonidae. The publication takes a look at the nutrition of parasitic amebae, biochemistry of Plasmodium and the influence of antimalarials, and the biochemistry of ciliates in pure culture. Topics include carbon metabolism and respiration, nitrogen metabolism, antimalarial compounds and their influence on the metabolism of malarial parasites, metabolism of malarial parasites, and nutrition of the dysentery ameba, Entamoeba histolytica. The selection is a valuable reference for cytologists, geneticists, and pathologists interested in the biochemistry and physiology of protozoa.

In the past years, genome projects for numerous human parasites have been completed and now allow first in depth comparisons and evolutionary conclusions. The genomes of parasites reflect the coevolution with their host, metabolic capacities depending on their respective habitat in the host. Gut parasites usually have an anaerobic metabolism, while blood parasites have an aerobic metabolism, intracellular parasites escape the immune system, while extracellular parasites evade the immune system, usually by antigenic variation. Comprehensive genome data now being available allow us to address profound scientific questions, such as which traits enable the parasite to survive in the human host, which to cause disease and which can be used as drug targets. This book intends to give an overview of the state of knowledge on “the molecules” of protozoan parasites – on their genomes, proteomes, glycomes and lipidomes.

Human Parasitology emphasizes the medical aspects of the topic, while incorporating functional morphology, physiology, biochemistry, and immunology to enhance appreciation of the diverse implications of parasitism. Bridging the gap between classical clinical parasitology texts and traditional encyclopaedic treatises, Human Parasitology appeals to students interested not only in the medical aspects of Parasitology but also to those who require a solid foundation in the biology of parasites. - Updated and expanded reference section - New chapter on Immunology - Additional SEM and TEM micrographs - Professionally drawn life cycle illustrations - Addition of "Host Immune Response section for each organism

A valuable, new source, Molecular Medical Parasitology is the only text of its kind -- one that applies broad concepts and current scientific advances from both molecular biology and biochemistry to the study of parasitic organisms. An internationally renowned team of scientists and physicians places parasites in their broad biological contexts while still emphasizing the specifics that differentiate these organisms. Not only will researchers and faculty in parasitology find this an indispensable guide, physicians will benefit from the thorough coverage molecular biology and biochemistry's current influences on treatment and management of parasitic diseases. - Features the most up-to-date scientific methods behind the medical management of parasitic diseases - Applies the most current synthesis of molecular biology and biochemistry to parasitic organisms - Contains many informative figures and clear illustrations

THIS BOOK HAS BEEN DEVELOPED FROM A SHORT LECTURE COURSE GIVEN to advanced undergraduate students as part of a general introduction to the subject of parasitology for zoologists. The book is written for the undergraduate who has no previous experience of parasitology and little background in either biochemistry or physiology. It is not a long book, and students will have to consult some of the more detailed textbooks in parasitology and physiology to gain a full understanding of the topics considered here. My objective in writing this book is to introduce the breadth of parasite physiology, leaving the reader to obtain a depth of knowledge by his own library research. Each chapter covers a single topic or related topics in physiological parasitology, and the variable length of the chapters reflects the amount of research interest that has been generated over the last few decades. It is to be hoped that by use of this book students will develop an interest in some of the more neglected areas and be stimulated to make good some of the more glaring deficiencies in our current knowledge. I should like to acknowledge with gratitude the assistance of my colleagues Dr 1. Barrett, Dr R. A. Klein, Dr A. W. Pike and Dr R. A.