Parasites acquired from meat

Parasites, generally speaking, are small animals which live in or on larger animals called host. Some parasite infections are lethal. Parasites can be single-cell animals (protozoa), or multicellular animals such as helminths and arthropods. Human can acquire parasites in many ways: (1) drinking water or eating food contaminated with human excreta, (2) eating raw or inadequately cook meat or flesh of infected animals, (3) skin penetration by infective larva, (4) inhalation, (5) finger-to-mouth, and (6) bitten by insect vectors. Thailand is endemic for many parasites and food habit especially eating raw or inadequately cook meat or flesh leads to high risk of acquiring parasitic infection. Infected people may become sick and the final result is economic loss. Some important parasites are the Chinese liver fluke, pork and beef tapeworm, gnathostome, Angiostrongylus, Trichinella, etc. Knowledge about these parasites including pictures will be presented.

Born on 1 August 1952 in Lamphun, Thailand
Education: B.Sc. (Medical Technology), Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
M..Sc. and Ph.D (Microbiology and Immunology), University of Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Positions: Associate Professor, Department of Parasitology and Associate Dean for Research and Graduate study affairs

Research of Interest

Primarily immunology of parasitic infections , epidemiology and Other aspects of parasitic infections .
Over 50 publications and 2 books
Training and Award
- UNDP/World Bank/WHO Special programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases. Molecular characterization of Plasmodium falciparum antigen. Queensland Institute of medical Research, Brisbane, Australia. May 23-August 23, 1987.
- Outstanding Inventor Award (Team leader: Professor Wanwen Chaicumpa) from National Research Council of Thailand, 1995.