Veterinary Parasitology & its career

Parasitology:

Why is parasitology such a diverse and dynamic field that offers such a wide variety of career opportunities? The answer is surprisingly simple and has a lot to do with the nature of parasites. Parasites are those organisms that use other species of plants and animals as hosts. These hosts provide the environment in which the parasite lives. In the history of life on earth, this parasitic lifestyle has been incredibly successful; the number of species of parasites exceeds the number of free-living species. And the adoption of a parasitic way of life has occurred independently in many diverse groups of organisms.
It is no wonder, then, that parasitology is a diverse field. Parasitologists study parasites wherever they occur, whether they are viruses, bacteria, protists, worms, insects, or a whether they belong to a myriad of other taxonomic groups. And parasitology is a dynamic field because the relationships between parasites and their hosts are dynamic, constantly changing. Parasitism comprises an ecological relationship between two individuals of different species where the parasite's environment is another living organism. Unlike the environment of free-living plants and animals, the environment of the parasite can fight back! Parasites and hosts are locked into a continuous struggle for survival, and understanding the mechanisms that each side in this battle uses to gain advantages challenges parasitologists to understand biological phenomena at the cutting edge of a wide variety of scientific disciplines.
A diversity of career options exist within the field of parasitology because parasites affect the world in so many different ways. Rewarding careers await parasitologists with interests in medicine and public health. Veterinary parasitologists play vital roles in controlling diseases of domestic animals. Agriculture and aquaculture are dependent upon parasitologists to assist in providing plant and animal food for an increasing human population. Parasitologists contribute significantly to our basic understanding of the manner in which our biological world functions. Ecologists, molecular biologists, immunologists, evolutionary biologists, systematists study parasites and provide a source of information regarding fundamental biological principles. This basic research forms the foundation upon which applications of benefit to man are derived. Parasitologist contribute greatly to the education of the scientific community. The intricate webs of relationships involving parasites and hosts aid students in understanding the interrelatedness of diverse scientific endeavors.

Human health is not only affected directly by parasites that can infect man, but is also affected indirectly by parasites that cause diseases in animals that are food for humans. 

Of the millions of people who die each year from malnutrition, over half are children under the age of five. The inadequate supply of food on earth and its uneven distribution among developing and developed countries results in starvation and human misery. Predictions of continued increase in human reproductive rates will inevitably result in increasing overpopulation and an exacerbation of food shortages.

Veterinary parasitologist care for domesticated animals used for food and for work, as well as caring for our companion animals. Veterinarians play an indirect role in human health when they control parasites in non-human animals that are transmissible to man. Animals used by humans for sport and recreation also require the services of veterinary parasitologists. Pharmaceutical companies are important sources of employment of parasitologists and the development of chemotheraputic drugs to eliminate parasites of animals is of major economic significance. The discovery of antiparasitic drugs for domesticated animals has not only benefited the agricultural industry, but in some cases, has aided humans when these same chemotheraputic agents have been demonstrated to be effective in the treatment of medically important parasites.

The Future of Parasitology

Parasites are here to stay. It is unfortunate that despite our best efforts, parasitologists will not likely in the foreseeable future completely rid the world of those species of parasites that cause human disease. But as the tools in our arsenal to control parasites become more powerful, parasitologists employed to fight these diseases will have the satisfaction of making important contributions to the improvement of animal health and human health as well.  For those who enter the field of parasitology to answer basic questions in .., genetics, molecular biology, and other disciplines within the life sciences, parasitology research will continue to offer challenges. Armed with new research tools, parasitologists have unprecedented opportunities to work at the forefront of scientific endeavor, and have great potential for making exciting new discoveries. Many institutes offers invitation to those young scholars contemplating careers in parasitology because of their desire to improve both animal & human condition, as well as to those individuals who seek careers in parasitology because of an abiding scientific curiosity. One such example is the American Society of Parasitologists. Our Society offers its assistance to you in establishing a career in parasitology that will provide great rewards and satisfaction.

Regards,
Meena K

Source: Internet