Various approaches of teaching veterinary parasitology

In this paper, we discuss the advantages and disadvantages of various approaches of teaching veterinary parasitology, including the disciplinary, the problem-oriented and combined approaches. In the disciplinary approach, parasitology is taught in the classical manner as a coherent subject, covering parasite morphology, biology, molecular biology, epidemiology, pathology, immunology, clinical manifestation, diagnosis, therapy, control, and prevention. Problem-oriented teaching approaches the subjects starting from diseases in animal species or from organ systems or other objectives (e.g. food safety); it also tackles training of skills for problem solving and self-learning. Combined approaches include elements of the disciplinary approach and those of other methods. A combined approach of teaching veterinary parasitology, including basic disciplinary teaching of at least 70-90 h, and additional problem-oriented education, was recently proposed in a resolution by the World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology [WAAVP News Lett. 5 (1) 3-4]. In 1999, a new curriculum has been established at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Berne, originally planned as a combination of organ-focused and problem-based approach. This model was soon identified to cause problems in teaching some disciplines, including infectious diseases. Conversely, the short-term experiences with this combined approach also confirmed some advantages of problem-oriented teaching in other, mainly clinical domains. Nevertheless, closer interdisciplinary contact and collaboration--especially in elective teaching--was enforced between paraclinical and clinical teaching by reforming the curriculum. However, it turned out that large student numbers in relation to the resources of manpower, rooms and finances limited the workability of the curriculum. Therefore, further and probably continuous improvement of the curriculum is necessary.     

Canada and Veterinary Parasitology

A World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology tradition for its conference is to present some highlights of the country hosting the event, and with an emphasis on the history of, and research in, veterinary parasitology. A review of Canada's peoples, physiography, climate, natural resources, agriculture, animal populations, pioneers in veterinary parasitology, research accomplishments by other veterinary parasitologists, centres for research in veterinary parasitology, and major current research had been presented at a World Association for the Advancement of Veterinary Parasitology Conference in Canada in 1987, and was published. The present paper updates the information on the above topics for the 22 years since this conference was last held in Canada.     

Teaching veterinary parasitology: the North American perspective

The American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists (AAVP) initiated a study of parasitology curricula in veterinary schools in the US and Canada in November 1989. An ad hoc committee (Task Force) and then the Education Committee developed a position paper on teaching parasitology in veterinary colleges. In addition to confirming the importance of parasitology as a discipline they recommended a set of general learning objectives and proposed topic-specific titles rather than parasite-/group-specific titles. Another problem observed in teaching parasitology was a significant reduction in time available to teach parasitology. One way to compensate for the lost classroom time is to utilize some of the technological advances in presenting the material to students.     

Public health education at the University of California, Davis: past, present, and future programs

This article reviews the history of public-health education at the University of California, Davis, from the inception of the Master of Preventive Veterinary Medicine Program in the School of Veterinary Medicine through the creation of the Master of Public Health Program offered jointly by the Schools of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine. The long history of collaborative teaching and research between the schools, as well as the university's close proximity to and relationship with numerous university-affiliated and state public-health agencies, has created remarkable opportunities for novel and creative public-health education. The university is already anticipating the approval of a School of Public Health on its campus, which will create even more educational opportunities in both human and veterinary public-health disciplines. Given the projected shortfall of veterinarians entering such fields, the opportunity of a novel Doctor of Public Health degree program specifically suited to the needs of veterinary medicine is also discussed as a means of addressing this shortage.     

A Survey of Disease Conditions in Adult and Feeder Sheep in Saskatchewan

A survey was carried out to identify disease conditions occurring in adult and feeder sheep in Saskatchewan. Necropsies were performed on 50 adult sheep submitted to the Western College of Veterinary Medicine during the period July 1976 to June 1977 and data were assembled from necropsy records of sheep submitted between January 1975 to December 1976. The diseases encountered were briefly described. Conditions of the respiratory and digestive systems were the most significant as causes of mortality. Burdens of helminth endoparasites were generally low. In the flocks included in the necropsy survey, annual mortality among adult and feeder sheep was estimated to be three percent.     

Teaching veterinary parasitology throughout the world

In order to understand how the teaching of parasitology in veterinary schools and faculties in the world is carried out, a questionnaire was sent to all centres listed in the W.H.O. World Directory. A total of 91 replies were received. Additional information was obtained from the report of a symposium held in Hannover, Germany in 1978 and from the Education Committee of the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists in 1981. The academic level, the place of parasitology in the veterinary curriculum, textbooks and practical instruction, evaluation techniques, teaching staff, institute organization and publications are discussed.     

All-purpose veterinary education: a personal perspective

The Recognition Lecture is an annual honor awarded by the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC) to an individual whose leadership and vision have made significant contributions to academic veterinary medicine and the veterinary profession. In 2011, this prestigious honor was awarded to Dr. Peter Eyre, Dean Emeritus of the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine (VMRCVM). Dr. Eyre is a fierce advocate for veterinary medical education, with a clear vision of its value in ensuring that veterinarians are well positioned to meet societal needs. Dr. Eyre possesses an international perspective regarding the challenges and problems facing veterinary medical education and has a keen eye for getting to the heart of these challenges. He is known to ask hard questions and propose difficult choices. Dr. Eyre received his undergraduate veterinary degree (BVMS), bachelor of science degree, and PhD from the University of Edinburgh. He was Lecturer in Pharmacology at the Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies for seven years before joining the faculty of the University of Guelph's Ontario Veterinary College, where he was Chair of the Department of Biomedical Sciences and Associate Director of the Canadian Centre for Toxicology. Dr. Eyre was appointed Dean of the VMRCVM in 1985, where he established the Center for Government and Corporate Veterinary Medicine in 1989. After retiring in 2003, he was named Interim Dean of the University of Calgary's new veterinary school. Among his many awards are the Norden Distinguished Teacher Award and the Sigma Psi Excellence in Research Award. In 2008 the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) honored him with the President's Award, and in 2010 the University of Edinburgh awarded him the honorary degree of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery. The Peter Eyre Student Leadership Award at the VMRCVM and the Peter Eyre Prize in Pharmacology at the University of Guelph are both named in his honor. He is a past president of the AAVMC, a fellow and former board member of the American Academy of Veterinary Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and a former member of the AVMA Legislative Advisory Committee. In the following article, Dr. Eyre offers his insights on the current debate about the future of veterinary medical education.     

The Utrecht model of teaching veterinary medicine and the role of veterinary parasitology

The Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Utrecht, established a new curriculum for teaching veterinary medicine in 1995 with the main objectives to improve the problem-solving and communication competences of the students and their scientific education. Because it is accepted that graduates cannot get a starting competence in all fields of the veterinary profession, a differentiation of education focused on animal species and life-long learning is emphasised. Major characteristics of this curriculum are a high degree of horizontal and vertical integration of the various disciplines, the preference for teaching in small working groups and the training for self-learning. This curriculum is described in some detail. Parasitology is not taught as a coherent subject but is integrated into various subjects, presented in an interdisciplinary approach. The number of contact hours is variable depending on optional courses and the differentiation tracks taken but it amounts for a minimum of approximately 90 contact hours for each student during the full curriculum. A major disadvantage of the curriculum is that examination of parasitology is within integrated subjects. Thus, students that perform poorly on parasitology may still pass. An advantage is the extended presence of parasitology in the last year of clinical training and the improved interdisciplinary interaction between parasitologists and clinicians. The curriculum has been changed again in 2001; study paths focused on animal species and other subjects start already in the first year, and approximately 25% of the first 4 years of the curriculum will be within these study paths.     

National workshop on core competencies for success in the veterinary profession

A workshop was designed to (1) present results of the Core Competencies for Veterinary Medicine project conducted by Personnel Decisions International (PDI); (2) discuss and analyze the implications of the PDI study results for academia, private practice, and industry; (3) identify actionable items-discuss opportunities and barriers; and (4) develop appropriate recommendations-devise specific actions for implementation as next steps. In total, 25 veterinary colleges were represented at the workshop and a total of 110 attendees participated, a broad cross-section of the veterinary profession (both academic and non-academic). Through an orchestrated combination of general sessions and facilitated, small group discussions, prioritized recommendations for implementation and initial action plans for next steps were developed. Recommendations included publicizing results of the PDI study, reconsidering current admissions policies and processes, evaluating the applicant pool and current recruitment programs, developing structured mentoring programs, enhancing DVM/VMD training programs, coordinating the development of continuing education programs, and overcoming existing barriers to change. Next steps should involve collaborative efforts across all sectors of the veterinary profession to develop plans for implementing the workshop's recommendations. Leadership for follow-up might reasonably come from the Association of American Veterinary Medical Colleges (AAVMC), the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), either individually or collectively, through the National Commission on Veterinary Economic Issues (NCVEI). Partnerships with industry are also possible and should be strongly considered.     

Karl Dammann--remembrance of an important veterinarian

Carl Dammann' 150th anniversary of birth and 75th anniversary of death was in 1989. Therefore Dammann's activities as the last "Direktor" of the School of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover is worth to be documented briefly. Dammann studied Veterinary Medicine and Human Medicine. After that he taught at the School of Agriculture in Proskau and in Eldena (Poland) and later at the School of Veterinary Medicine in Hannover. In the position as the "Direktor" of the School he initiated some important reforms. The present location of the School in Hannover bases on Dammann's activities. In 1899, the Veterinary School of Hannover changed from the "Clever Tor" to the present place at the "Bischofsholer Damm".     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
Current Practice of Equine Surgery edited by Nathaniel A. White II and James N. Moore
Problems in Veterinary Medicine: Gastrointestinal Surgical Complications edited by David Matthiesen
Canine Orthopedics, Second Edition edited and with contributions by William G. Whittick
Current Techniques in Small Animal Surgery, Third Edition edited by M. Joseph Bojrab     

以临床价值为导向的兽用中药药学研究思路

通过深入研究兽用中药特点及近年来新兽药审批情况，提出兽用中药药学评价“以临床价值为导向”的理念，遵循中兽医药理论指导，探索制定兽用中药药学相关研究指导原则，准确把握兽用中药处方工艺和质量可控等药学研究/评价方法和要点，开展全过程质量控制和兽用中药整体质量评价。     

抗菌肽BSN-37对大肠杆菌胞内物质泄露的影响

为了解抗菌肽BSN-37对大肠杆菌的作用机制,通过β-半乳糖苷酶试验测定了抗菌肽BSN-37对大肠杆菌CVCC1568的抑菌活性,以菌落计数法测定了抗菌肽BSN-37对大肠杆菌CVCC1568的抑菌动力学,用分光光度法测定了抗菌肽BSN-37对大肠杆菌CVCC1568细胞壁通透性,以及胞内紫外吸收物质、蛋白及核酸的泄露量。结果表明,抗菌肽BSN-37能有效抑制大肠杆菌CVCC1568的生长繁殖,随抗菌肽浓度增加,抑制活性越高,抗菌肽BSN-37作用后的大肠杆菌CVCC1568细胞壁通透性增加,胞内紫外吸收物质、蛋白和核酸的泄露量随时间延长而逐渐增加。说明抗菌肽BSN-37能破坏大肠杆菌CVCC1568的细胞壁和细胞膜,从而表现较好的抑菌活性。     

Detection of Neorickettsia risticii,the agent of Potomac horse fever,in a Gypsy Vanner stallion from Manitoba

A horse with colitis from Manitoba referred to the Veterinary Medical Centre, Western College of Veterinary Medicine, was diagnosed with Potomac horse fever (PHF). Polymerase chain reaction analysis of the feces confirmed Neorickettsia risticii infection. This is the first reported case of PHF in Manitoba.     

Remembrances of Jacques Jenny, DrMedVet 1917–1971

Editor's note : The holding of the 19th Annual Meeting of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons in Philadelphia in conjunction with the Centennial Celebration of the School of Veterinary Medicine of the University of Pennsylvania provides an opportunity for reflection. Dr. Jacques Jenny, Professor of Orthopedic Surgery at the School, was Chairman of the Organizing Committee that gave rise to the American College of Veterinary Surgeons on December 16,1965, and was elected as first President of the College. The solid foundation and high ideals that the Organizing Committee established are in large part responsible for the success of the College. Dr. Jenny died on November 20, 1971. Those of us fortunate to have known him personally realize the immense gap that his premature death left. For those that did not know him, I hope that this article permits some appreciation of the contributions of Dr. Jenny the comparative orthopedic surgeon, as well as of the very special human qualities of Jacques Jenny the man. The first author, Dr. Mark Allam, was Professor of Surgery and Dean of the School of Veterinary Medicine during most of Dr. Jenny's career at the University of Pennsylvania, and was the first Chairman of the Board of Regents of the American College of Veterinary Surgeons. The second author, Dr. David Nunamaker, is the first holder of the Jacques Jenny Professorship in Veterinary Orthopedics at the University of Pennsylvania.     

《动物寄生虫病学》课程教学方法的改革与实践

动物寄生虫病学是一门由一般生物学和兽医学构成的综合性学科,是阐明寄生于动物的各种寄生虫及其对动物所发生影响和所引起疾病的科学,是动物医学和畜牧兽医专业的一门专业基础课。通过对以往教学方法的改革和教学过程的实践,在教学过程中不仅改进常规教学方法,同时还增加学术论文的使用和实践操作的类型及时间比例,获得良好的教学效果。介绍了《动物寄生虫病学》课程的教学现状,并阐述了该课程教学方法改革与实践工作中的几点体会。     

中兽医学的研究现状与未来展望

畜牧业生产有机化和绿色化是提高 畜牧产品质量的主要途径。高效、低毒、无副 作用和无耐药性的中兽医学疾病防治技术则 是完成此项工程的主要保障,但随着西兽医 学和西方科学技术的迅速发展,中兽医学遇 到了严峻的挑战。为了继承和发扬中兽医学 的优势和特色,文章对中兽医学研究现状进 行了较全面的综述,并通过未来展望,提出了 加快中兽药现代化研究进程和加快中兽医标 准化步伐的科学见解。     

加强兽医寄生虫学标本室建设 提升寄生虫形态学教学水平

为了提升寄生虫形态学教学水平,充分利用内蒙古农业大学预防兽医学寄生虫教研室积累的大量寄生虫标本进行授课,通过加强兽医寄生虫标本室建设和兽医寄生虫学实验教学改革探索,提升标本管理水平及寄生虫标本服务教学的水平,以期为该课程的教学改革提供思路。     

Feline lymphoma in the post-feline leukemia virus era

Lymphoma (lymphosarcoma or malignant lymphoma) is the most common neoplasm of the hematopoietic system of cats and reportedly the cat has the highest incidence for lymphoma of any species. A 21-year retrospective survey of feline lymphoma covering the period 1983-2003 was conducted with the patient database at the Veterinary Medicine Teaching Hospital (VMTH) at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. This period comprises the post-feline leukemia virus (FeLV) era. Feline lymphoma historically has been highly associated with retrovirus infection. Mass testing and elimination and quarantine programs beginning in the 1970s and vaccination programs in the 1980s dramatically reduced the subsequent FeLV infection rate among pet cats. The results of this survey confirm a significant decrease in the importance of FeLV-associated types of lymphoma in cats. In spite of this decrease in FeLV infection, the incidence of lymphoma in cats treated at the VMTH actually increased from 1982 to 2003. This increase was due largely to a rise in the incidence of intestinal lymphoma, and to a lesser degree, of atypical lymphoma. A high incidence of mediastinal lymphomas in young Siamese or Oriental breeds also was observed, supporting previous studies. Associations of intestinal lymphoma and inflammatory bowel disease and diet should be further considered.     

包虫病的流行危害和防控技术

包虫病是一种危害十分严重的人畜共患寄生虫病。尽管经过多年来的大力防控使该病已经得到有效控制,但是,在草食家畜养殖区,该病流行仍然还较为严重.随着我国人口老龄化伴发伴侣动物饲养量的增加,流浪犬在城镇成为包虫的潜在主要终末宿主,是需要密切关注的主要流行因素之一。因此,有必要就包虫病的流行、危害、致病机制和综合防治技术等再做宣传普及。