# UTPA STEM/CBI Courses/Animal Parasitology/Parasite Distribution

Course Title: BIOL 4407 Animal Parasitology
Lecture Topic: Parasite distributions
Instructor: Brian Fredensborg
Institution: UTPA Department of Biology

## Backwards Design

Course Objectives
* Primary Objectives- By the next class period students will be able to:
** Understand how parasites are distributed in host populations
** Understand how parasite distribution affects the transmission of parasites in time and space
** Understand how to use the knowledge of parasite distribution to fight infectious disease in developing countries
* Sub Objectives- The objectives will require that students be able to:
** Understand the factors affecting the production of infective stages
** Understand the factors affecting the transmission of infective stages to hosts
* Difficulties- Students may have difficulty:
** Understanding the concept of mathematical distributions
* Real-World Contexts- There are many ways that students can use this material in the real-world, such as:
** The control of infectious disease
** The use of parasites as bio indicators
Model of Knowledge
* Concept Map
** Parasitism
** Utilization of hosts by parasites
** How parasites travel from host to host
** How can parasites increase the chance of transmission?
* Content Priorities
** Enduring Understanding
*** Life cycle biology
*** Transmission ecology
* Important to Do and Know
** How morphology is connected to transmission
* Worth Being Familiar with
** How culture may affect transmission
** Economics and infectious disease
Assessment of Learning
* Formative Assessment
** In Class (groups)
*** Questions directed at students during class time
*** Quizzes during class
** Homework (individual)
*** Solving exercises handed out in class
*** Lab report on lab experiments
* Summative Assessment
** Exams (essay)
** Lab report

## Legacy Cycle

OBJECTIVE
By the next class period, students will be able to:
* Understand how parasites are distributed in host populations
* Understand how parasite distribution affects the transmission of parasites in time and space
* Understand how to use the knowledge of parasite distribution to fight infectious disease in developing countries
THE CHALLENGE
Design cost-effective ways to control the spread of infectious disease
GENERATE IDEAS
* Give lecture on biology of schistosomes
* Read articles describing disease transmission
* Group discussions
MULTIPLE PERSPECTIVES
Case study presentations
RESEARCH & REVISE
* Lecture on parasite distribution
* Lab experiments on physical factors and transmission success of infective stages
TEST YOUR METTLE
* Student presentations on selected readings with peer and instructor review
* Class discussion of laboratory results prior to report writing
GO PUBLIC
* Exam
* Submission of project report

## Pre-Lesson Quiz

* Define symbiosis
* Give examples of different types of symbiosis.
* What is fitness?
* How can a parasite affect the fitness of a host?
* What do parasites use their hosts for?
* If there is no immune response, how would the number of parasites be related to host age?
* Which hosts are most important to the transmission of parasites?
* How does temperature affect metabolism?
* How do you think temperature would affect parasites?
* How do you think temperature would affect hosts?

## Test Your Mettle Quiz

* Given that all environmental factors and the target host density is constant, what is the most important determinant of parasite transmission?
* Name at least three mechanisms in which temperature affects parasite transmission.
* Give a definition of a complex life cycle.
* Give an example of a parasite with a complex life cycle.
* What defines an aggregated distribution?
* Which factors cause an aggregated distribution?
* How can knowledge about parasite distributions be used in the control of infectious disease?
* How may global climate change affect the transmission of infectious disease in the tropics?
* How may global climate change affect the transmission of infectious disease in the temperate zone?