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With the falling level and availability of formal diagnostic parasitology training, many clinical laboratories now find themselves with a rapidly drying puddle rather than a pool of experienced staff confident in their ability to identify a wide variety of either faecal or blood parasites. Combined with the emergence of several newly recognised opportunistic parasites, the rigours of CPA accreditation and an overall reduction of NHS staffing levels, demands for parasitology expertise have never been higher.

Travel to exotic foreign countries is becoming cheaper and more popular and many travellers are exposed to parasites/organisms not endemic to their country of residence. 

The past few years have seen an increased risk of flooding in many regions of the UK. Has the incidence of waterborne parasites such as Cryptosporidium sp. increased due to agricultural run-off? The following advice from the HPA is encouraging. "Any risks to the public from infections arising from floods are very rare in the UK. Although flood water may be contaminated with sewage, animal and other waste, any harmful micro-organisms in the water are usually very diluted and so present a very low risk of infection."  http://www.hpa.org.uk/HPA/Topics/EmergencyResponse/ 

What effect will climate change have on parasites in the tropics? Waterborne diseases such as Giardia, Cryptosporidia, amoebae etc. may become more prevalent in countries prone to flooding such as Bangladesh and many of the Far East islands.

Among the potential effects of climate change would be the appearance of mosquitoes where they were previously absent, with the accompanying threat of malaria, yellow fever and dengue fever. Some regions might be at risk of reduced rainfall; millions of people could be at risk of malnutrition and hunger if arable lands become unworkable.

Molecular-based methods are now standard aids in the diagnosis of a variety of pathological conditions. Ongoing advances in molecular pathology  and infectious diseases research, as well as technological developments, will serve to enhance the battery of molecular assays available for improved disease characterization, epidemiology, diagnosis and patient care.

  Read on.

A few yummy pictures to get you 'in the mood'.

Adult Ascaris lumbricoides - What does this remind you of?

Epifluorescence - Cyclospora