Development of a Virtual Library of Clinical Samples for Medical Parasitology Diagnosis

De Montfort University (DMU, Leicester, UK) is leading a teaching innovation project for the creation of a complete package for teaching and learning human parasitology in collaboration with the Spanish universities: San Pablo CEU and Miguel Hernández, and practicing Biomedical Scientists from the UK National Health Service. The DMU e-Parasitology package will be freely available on the DMU website (http://parasitology.dmu.ac.uk/) late in 2018 and present three modules: a theoretical unit for the study of medical parasitic diseases; a virtual laboratory and microscope sections with a complete collection of clinical slides for the study of these major diseases. To provide the user of this novel package with a holistic and complete experience for the learning of medical parasitology we have started the development of a fourth section, which will hold highly interactive virtual case studies in which the user will be provided with a medical history and different clinical slides to identify the parasites and their structures. The user will need to reflect and critically think to suggest potential diagnoses, additional diagnostic techniques, treatment and prevention techniques for that parasitic disease. A first virtual case study has been created in the DMU e-Parasitology here: http://parasitology.dmu.ac.uk/learn/ case_studies/cs1/story_html5.html, as described in Peña-Fernández et al. (2018) [1]. The degree of difficulty is medium-high, so a background in parasitology is needed to resolve it. Comprehensive student feedback is being collected to improve this case study, which will be used as a model unit to develop future case studies for this section. To determine the feasibility of this case study to train postgraduate students, DMU students attending the MSc Advanced Biomedical Science have completed the case study during a workshop session specially delivered this academic course 2017/18 (n=9). We collected the following results: 100% students indicated that the eParasitology is interactive (71.4% agreed, 28.57 strongly agreed), and the case-study presented was appropriate for their studies (57.1% agreed, 42.9% strongly agreed). In relation to the content, all students highlighted that it was relevant for their studies (42.9% agreed, 57.1% strongly agreed), and indicated that the exercises presented were easy to understand (71.43% agreed, 28.57% strongly agreed). In the freeopen questions available in the questionnaire, postgraduate students demanded more case studies and mini-formative assessments within the theoretical units that they reviewed to answer the virtual case study (free-living amoebas and Entamoeba histolytica). Finally, they suggested the provision of the correct answers throughout the case study instead of at the end.

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“…3 A virtual microscope with a real slide collection of clinical slides of human parasites, which has been described previously [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Focus Group to Create a Virtual Case Study Model Unit for the Dmu E-Parasitology

Pena-Fernandez¹,

Magnet²,

Peña³

2018

EDULEARN Proceedings

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“…The DMU e-Parasitology's VM is almost completed, an initial description has been included in Peña-Fernández et al (2018) [1]. Briefly, the VM presents a section for each of the three major groups of human-pathogenic parasites: a) protozoa, such as Dientamoeba fragilis and Plasmodium spp.…”

Section: Virtual Microscope Section In Dmu E-parasitologymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite recent advances in biomedicine, the diagnosis of major and important parasitic diseases in most of the laboratories still relies on the morphological identification of the parasites or their infective forms using different microscopy techniques such as light or fluorescence microscopy [1]. However, this ability requires robust skills acquired through comprehensive and rigorous training [2].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…1), with comprehensive and interactive up-to-date units that will provide a holistic learning of medical parasitology to the user. Sections are: a) a theoretical module with e-learning units on major and rare human parasites [5]; b) a virtual laboratory module with units related to techniques and equipment for detecting, identifying and studying parasitic diseases [6]; c) a virtual microscope module with a real slide collection of clinical samples of parasites [1]; and d) a virtual clinical case studies module to provide the user with some initial clinical skills to diagnose parasitic diseases and infections due to human parasites [7][8]. • DMU e-Biology ® a complete e-learning package designed to enhance learning and underpin the fundamental concepts of biology and biochemistry.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Virtual Libraries of Tissue and Clinical Samples: Potential Role of a 3-D Microscope

Izquierdo¹,

Acosta²,

Magnet³

et al. 2019

INTED2019 Proceedings

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“…Thus, the user can learn the morphological features and the characteristics of the different infective forms of human parasites including cysts, oocysts, eggs and spores as well as the adult forms of helminths (cestodes, nematodes and trematodes) and hematic phases of some parasites. A more detailed description of this resource has been depicted in Peña-Fernández et al (2018) [10].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Novel Resources for Learning the Identification of Human-Related Parasites

Pena-Fernandez¹,

Lobo-Bedmar²,

Acosta³

et al. 2018

ICERI2018 Proceedings

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Microscopic detection of human-related parasites in a range of clinical samples remains the cornerstone of parasitological diagnosis despite recent advances in technology and molecular sciences. However, the use of the light microscope for diagnostic purposes requires comprehensive training, skills and parasitology knowledge that is difficult to appropriately provide to future health professionals due to different challenges including shortages of health science academics, resources, time and specimens for delivering appropriate training. An international teaching innovation team from different European universities, led by De Montfort University (UK), is building a novel resource for learning and teaching parasitology, which is equipped with a Virtual Laboratory and Microscope. In the Virtual Laboratory (http://parasitology.dmu.ac.uk/learn/laboratory.htm), we are building a complete subsection with a series of engaging units for learning different parasitological staining/fresh preparation techniques for detecting common and rare (emerging and re-emerging) human parasites from several taxa: protozoa (mostly cysts and oocysts) and helminths (eggs and organs for parasitological differentiation such as scolex or proglottids for Taenia spp.) and fungi (spores), which will be publicly available in 2019. Examples of staining techniques included are Kinyoun, Trichrome and Modified Trichrome stain and fresh preparations for investigating eggs as well as more recent techniques such as immunofluorescence. The Virtual Laboratory will also provide resources to undertake appropriate sample (faeces, blood and urine) collection, management and preparation for parasitological diagnosis and the use of different microscopes including the light microscope for parasite analysis. These units will be equipped with short videos of academics and technicians performing the different techniques, which will include audio and subtitles in English, and will be supported by photos, artworks, designs and self-assessment mini-quizzes and exercises, to provide students with the most practical experience possible. Finally, a complete library of digitised clinical slides of different specimens and parasites is provided here: http://parasitology.dmu.ac.uk/learn/microscope.htm. Each virtual slide is provided with the functionality of a microscope, so the user will be able to zoom in and out and explore all of the clinical sample to learn the morphological characteristics of cysts, oocysts, eggs, spores and other important structures for parasitological diagnosis. When relevant, a variety of virtual slides for the different species for the same parasite will be provided to enhance the identification of parasites to species level in conjunction with a short description and tips for easy identification. The resources that are being created will cover the theoretical foundation and current scientific information so they will be suitable for undergraduate/postgraduate students as well as for more professional training. This paper will present a complete...

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Development of a Virtual Library of Clinical Samples for Medical Parasitology Diagnosis

Cited by 5 publications

References 3 publications

Focus Group to Create a Virtual Case Study Model Unit for the Dmu E-Parasitology

Focus Group to Create a Virtual Case Study Model Unit for the Dmu E-Parasitology

Virtual Libraries of Tissue and Clinical Samples: Potential Role of a 3-D Microscope

Novel Resources for Learning the Identification of Human-Related Parasites

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