Themes of research conducted at the Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology:
The key issues in this subject are organogenesis, genetic relationships between various taxons in large systematic groups of parasites, searching for natural reservoirs of zoonoses such as borelliosis, trichinellosis or echinococcosis.
Research on the biology of parasites
- morphology of parasites - light and electron microscopy studies as well as molecular studies;
- developmental cycles of parasites with respect to environmental conditions;
- systematics of various parasite groups;
- population biology of parasites;
- structure of parasite clusters in different ecosystems subjected to anthropological factors;
- registration of parasites in different groups of free-living animals (e.g. Fauna Europeae Programme; Antarctic animal parasites);
The main problems studied are: the immune response of hosts to Trichinella infection, the characteristics of enzymes in different life stages of helminthes, the utilization of fungi in biological control of livestock and plant parasites.
Research on the physiology of the host-parasite relationship:
- physiological background of parasitic infections;
- interactions in the host-parasite relationship;
- immune responses in parasitic diseases;
At the present research is concentrated on parasitoses of horses, sheep and cervids, especially newly emerging diseases such as asworthiosis, elaphostrongylosis or neosporosis. Efforts to elaborate recombinated protein and cDNA vaccines against liver fluke disease and gastrointestinal helminthes are continued. New and noninvasive methods for the detection of Neospora caninum, Fasciola hepatica and Echinococcus multilocularis are currently being tested.
Research on the epidemiology and control of parasitic diseases:
- dynamics of the occurrence of parasites in domestic animals;
- influence of rearing conditions on the spreading of parasitic diseases;
- searching for resistant breeds of farm animals;
- evaluation of the efficacy of antiparasitic drugs;
- biological control of parasites with fungi;
- molecular and immunological diagnosis of parasitic diseases;
- elaboration of antiparasitc vaccines;
STATUTE RESEARCH TOPICS:
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Influence of Trichinella spiralis infection and reinfection on immune response development in mice.
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Coproantigen detection of Echinococcus multilocularis.
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Detection of specific IgM and specific IgG avidity in acute and chronic toxocariasis.
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Metabolite analysis of parasitic fungi.
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The influence of the parasitic fungi, Conidiobolus coronatus metabolites on insect hemocytes.
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Evaluation of the genetic stability of Conidiobolus coronatus.
Sedimentation coefficient of the cestode, Hymenolepis diminuta acetylcholinesterase. -
Research on the application of molecular methods for detection of parasitic infections.
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Immunoprophylaxis of helminth infections.
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Epidemiology and control of domestic animal parasitic diseases.
Parasites and parasitic diseases of wild animals. -
Research on the occurrence of Neospora caninum in wild and domestic animals in Poland.
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Attempt to utilize the ELISA test for estimating the dynamics of the immune response of humans to Trichinella spiralis infection.