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| EDITORIAL |
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| Year : 2018 | Volume
: 8
| Issue : 2 | Page : 61 |
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Parasitology: An ever evolving specialty
Subhash Chandra Parija
Vice-Chancellor, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Puducherry, India
| Date of Web Publication | 27-Dec-2018 |
Correspondence Address:
Subhash Chandra Parija
Vice-Chancellor, Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University), Puducherry
India
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/tp.TP_60_18
How to cite this article:
Parija SC. Parasitology: An ever evolving specialty. Trop Parasitol 2018;8:61 |
Greetings from the desk of the editor!
It is indeed a pleasure to bring out another issue of the journal with articles encompassing a wide spectrum of parasitology topics. Parasitology remains an ever-expanding field with new parasites assuming pathogenic roles or the old ones causing unusual manifestations. Although the pathogenic parasites, particularly the helminths were discovered long before the discovery of bacteria and viruses, yet their biological and immunological features remain largely unknown and have lagged behind, compared to the quantum of knowledge accumulated regarding the other microbes in the last century. In the present era of advanced medical treatment with a variety of natural and synthetic products, the human microbiome is in a state of flux, and this alteration in the natural defense system of the human body is providing the secret passage for the entry of hitherto nonhuman pathogens and establishing infection.[1],[2] Hence, it is not surprising that we are witnessing a flood of reports of novel protozoa, helminths, fungi, and bacteria causing human infections, the names of which cannot be found in standard medical textbooks!
This issue contains a mixed bag of articles dealing with a number of protozoan and helminthic infections. In the Ethics in Series, we have an interesting analysis of the problems and dilemmas faced by authors during publication.[3] Malaria features in three articles including a review on drug susceptibility methods.[4] A research article on the genetic diversity in Leishmania in the Middle East[5] emphasizes the importance of molecular diagnosis of Leishmania and its epidemiological aspects. Case reports form an integral component of any medical journal and make the readers aware of unusual or rare presentations of a disease or uncommon pathogens or diseases and go on to reinforce that exceptions prove the rule. This issue features six despatches and two letters to the editors which deal with some rare manifestations of human parasitic diseases and not so common parasites. In the regular face-to-face,[6] the interview of Dr. Pradeep Das has been featured. Dr. Das has done seminal work on Kala-Azar and its control in the endemic states of Bihar and Jharkhand in India. In the interview, apart from discussing various aspects of visceral leishmaniasis, he outlines the Vaishali Model which has been instrumental in drastically bringing down the prevalence of Kala-Azar in Vaishali district of Bihar and being followed in other parts of the region.
Wishing all the readers a happy reading experience with this issue of the journal!
 References | |  |
| 1. | Harris VC, Haak BW, Boele van Hensbroek M, Wiersinga WJ. The intestinal microbiome in infectious diseases: The clinical relevance of a rapidly emerging field. Open Forum Infect Dis 2017;4:ofx144.  |
| 2. | Wardwell LH, Huttenhower C, Garrett WS. Current concepts of the intestinal microbiota and the pathogenesis of infection. Curr Infect Dis Rep 2011;13:28-34. |
| 3. | Sharma H, Verma S. Authorship in Biomedical Research: A sweet fruit of inspiration or a bitter fruit of trade. Trop Parasitol 2018;8:62-9. [Full text] |
| 4. | Maji AK. Drug susceptibility testing methods of antimalarial agents. Trop Parasitol 2018;8:70-6. [Full text] |
| 5. | Mousavi T, Shokohi S, Abdi J, Naserifar R, Ahmadi M, Mirzaei A. Determination of genetic diversity of Leishmania species using mini-circle kDNA, in Iran- Iraq countries Border. Trop Parasitol 2018;8:77-82. [Full text] |
| 6. | An E-mail interview with Dr. Pradeep Das. Trop Parasitol 2018;8:127-131. |
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