COLLEGE OF VETERINARY MEDICINE
OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY
STILLWATER, OKLAHOMA 74078
Text and Photos by A. Alan Kocan Ph.D
Phone: 405-744-8168
"E" Mail: AAK4453@VMS.UCC.OKSTATE.EDU
The parasitic organisms covered in this electronic text are designed to be used by second year veterinary medical students at Oklahoma State University. The general coverage presents taxonomic details, clinical implications of infection or infestations, and options related to control and treatment.
Numerous links have been added to provide a broader scope of coverage. All photographs are by Dr. Alan Kocan. Feel free to use them for your own personal use. Any comments or suggestions are welcome. The latest revision was January 1998.
THE FIRST SECTION TO BE COVERED IS THE SECTION ON ENTOMOLOGY
The science of entomology is the study of insects and allied organisms. These animals belong to the Phyla Arthropoda. Within the Phyla, there are two classes, 1. the Arachnida, and 2. the Insecta.
One of the first discoveries that incriminated arthropods in the transmission of diseases was that of Theobold Smith and F.L. Kilbourne who proved that a tick was responsible for the transmission of the protozoan parasite that caused Texas cattle fever. This discovery was quickly followed by others that implicated arthropods in the transmission of such diseases as malaria, yellow fever, trypanosomiasis and typhus.
Although the number of organisms that are covered in this course is quite extensive, one should remember that the phyla Arthropoda is the largest animal phyla and contains more species than all the other phyla combined.
Arthropods: Vectors of Human Diseases
Entomology images - Iowa state
Parasites and Symbiosis - Ohio State
Veterinary Parasitology - Missouri
Parasitic diseases are important consideration no matter where you are. If to foreign countries, the following sites will be of importance to you in what to expect and how do deal with them.