Many organisms are parasitic - viruses, bacteria, and eukaryotic organisms. However, the field of parasitology typically covers just the eukaryotic parasitic organisms, both single celled and multicellular. This course will cover the protozoa (also known as protista), which are just one group of eukaryotic parasites, and will focus on those which live in just one area in our body, the intestinal tract.
People in the United States don't usually think of parasitic diseases as being major infectious diseases. However, parasites are ubiquitous, and are often dependent on sanitation, public health norms, and climate, as well as the individual's ability to fight them off. As climate changes and as more people become more immunosuppressed, parasitic diseases grow in importance.
Although we are focusing here on intestinal protozoa, parasites can inhabit many areas in our body, and can belong to many groups of organisms. The diagram to the right illustrates just some of our many parasites!
