Parasitology: today and tomorrow

Abstract

Parasites have, over the centuries, been responsible for high mortalities among humans and domestic and wild animals. The presence of parasitic infections has made vast areas of the world uninhabitable for both humans and animals. Major strengths of Canadian parasitology include wildlife parasitology, systematics, and taxonomy. Experimental studies in parasitology are limited; in particular the subdisciplines of parasite molecular and cellular biology, biochemistry, immunology, and neurobiology are very limited. There is concern that we will not be able to maintain the quality of Canadian research in parasitology, particularly in the emerging new technologies. It is greatly to the credit of those early Canadian parasitologists, who laid the foundations for today's advances in parasitology, that a relatively small group of approximately 100 professional parasitologists has today reached a very high standard of parasitological research. The next 25 years will be an exciting period as new insights allow us to further understand the complexity of host–parasite relationships. The development of new vaccines, drugs, and vector control point to significant reductions in parasitic infections.