Parasitology is the scientific discipline that investigates parasites—organisms that live in or on a host and derive resources at the host’s expense—along with their hosts and the environments that shape these interactions. It encompasses the biology, life cycles, genetics, ecology, and evolution of protozoan, helminth, and arthropod parasites, as well as host immune responses and mechanisms of pathogenesis. Parasitology underpins diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of parasitic diseases in humans, animals, and plants, integrating tools from molecular biology, immunology, epidemiology, and vector biology to elucidate transmission dynamics, drug resistance, and control strategies.
New research led by the University of Otago—Ōtākou Whakaihu Waka shows some bird species may be taking advantage of natural geothermal "health spas."
Ecology
7 hours ago
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Parasites in wildlife don't just pose a risk to their wild hosts—they can also spread to domestic animals and humans, making safe and reliable ways to screen for these pests critical to promoting better health for all.
Veterinary medicine
Sep 14, 2026
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A team of scientists from the Faculty of Science at Charles University has achieved a major breakthrough in research into schistosomiasis, a serious tropical disease affecting more than 250 million people worldwide. Using ...
Cell & Microbiology
Sep 8, 2026
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Feeding stations providing food and water for wild birds are contributing to the spread of disease-causing parasites among farmland birds, researchers have said, with birds three times more likely to catch a parasite from ...
Plants & Animals
Sep 4, 2026
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A University of Stirling study could pave the way for more efficient study of the secretions that salmon lice use to avoid fish defenses, potentially enabling the development of new strategies to protect salmon from infestations.
Plants & Animals
Sep 3, 2026
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Parasites such as Toxoplasma gondii and the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum depend on rapid, precisely controlled movement to complete their life cycles. To start moving, they must assemble actin filaments at their ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 28, 2026
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A 12-year study of rescued chimpanzees at the Ngamba Island Chimpanzee Sanctuary (NICS) in Uganda has revealed persistent intestinal schistosomiasis infections, highlighting the need for long-term disease surveillance to ...
Plants & Animals
Aug 24, 2026
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As parasites become increasingly resistant to existing drugs, researchers at the University of California, Riverside, are working to develop a new generation of treatments for two serious infectious diseases: malaria and ...
Molecular & Computational biology
Aug 2, 2026
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Malaria parasites proliferate in an unusual way. Rather than dividing into two daughter cells like human cells, they first amplify their genetic material tenfold, hundredfold or even thousandfold before simultaneously producing ...
Cell & Microbiology
Aug 1, 2026
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Along the Gulf Coast, black skimmers have long been a familiar sight—gliding just above the water with their bright orange beaks slicing through the surface to feed.
Plants & Animals
Jul 31, 2026
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