Parasites Without Borders - Introduction
Parasites Without
Borders

A comprehensive, advanced educational resource and disseminator of basic and clinical information dealing with all aspects of the global problems associated with the acquisition of parasitic diseases that adversely affect people around the world.

Weekly Clinical Updates

As infectious diseases such as SARS, Monkeypox, Polio, HIV, and Ebola travel the globe and garner media attention, Parasites Without Borders staff are curating resources in a timely, ongoing basis.

Parasites Without Borders - Introduction - copy
Parasites Without
Borders

A comprehensive, advanced educational resource and disseminator of basic and clinical information dealing with all aspects of the global problems associated with the acquisition of parasitic diseases that adversely affect people around the world.

Parasites Without Borders - Knowledge is Power
Knowledge is
Power

What can I do to help eliminate human suffering due to parasitic infections? One answer is to lead to ones strengths. For us the choice was easy; more and better education for all those in a position to apply medical knowledge directly to populations most in need of solutions to alleviate the burden of parasitic diseases.

Parasites Without Borders - Join Us
Join Our
Mission

Help bring the latest medical and basic biological information pertaining to diseases caused by eukaryotic parasites to every practicing physician and medical student within the United States.

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GET INVOLVED!

Parasites Without Borders disseminates FREE educational resources to those applying the medical knowledge to populations most in need.

Join the Parasites Without Borders online network and be part of the movement to spread life-saving medical knowledge around the world.

Throughout February, March And April, All Donations Made To Parasites Without Borders Will Be Matched By PWB And Donated To ASTMH

Throughout February, March and April, donations made to Parasites Without Borders (PWB) will be matched by the organization and donated to the American Society of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (ASTMH) with a minimum pledged donation of $10,000 and a total gift of up to $20,000 for ASTMH. A portion of these funds will go to providing Travel Awards for qualified female students, early-career investigators or scientists actively working in the tropical medicine field from low- and middle-income countries to attend the ASTMH 2024 Annual Meeting.

Founded in 1903, ASTMH is the largest international scientific organization of experts dedicated to reducing the worldwide burden of tropical infectious diseases and improving global health. ASTMH accomplishes this through generating and sharing scientific evidence, informing health policies and practices, fostering career development, recognizing excellence and advocating for investment in tropical medicine/global health research.

Authoritative Learning Materials

For Educators

  • Parasitic worm icon

    Books

    Our books, are required reading for physicians planning to practice abroad to gain a better understanding of the common infections they will likely be seeing and treating.

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    Certification Exams

    A team of physicians who are certified in caring for parasitic infections will serve to increase the safety and overall success of your organization's missions abroad. Learn more about our certifications.

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    Video Courses

    Parasitic Diseases Lectures is a 45 part video series that explores the biology and pathogenesis of protozoan and helminth parasites. The Medical Handbook for Limited Resource Settings is also a comprehensive e-learning video course that can be accessed here on our website.

Scientist with microscope
The Problem

Common Parasitic Infections

The world is getting smaller. Global shrinkage is real and is driven by information overload from the internet, CNN, The BBC, NPR, and Al jazeera, to name a few. All the while, the human population continues to grow, exacerbating unresolved issues of rapid urbanization that is being caused by the predictable adverse effects of rapid climate change on the environment. Yet, for some of us, especially if we are among the few millions of lucky ones, our lives will continue essentially unchanged, enriched by complex, interesting cultures. We will work hard for our income, and most importantly we will not worry about where our next meal comes from. Becoming physically and psychologically compromised by some exotic disease entity – malaria or schistosomiasis – seems as remote a possibility as waking up surrounded by a host of other life-threatening issues.

Anopheles

Malaria

There were an estimated 198 million cases of malaria worldwide (range 124-283 million) in 2013, and an estimated 584,000 deaths (range 367,000 - 755,000).

Trypanosoma gambiense blood smear

African
Trypanosomiasis

In 1995, WHO Expert Committee estimated that 60 million people were at risk with an estimated 300,000 new cases per year in Africa, with fewer than 30,000 cases diagnosed and treated.

Trypanosoma cruzi parasite which causes Chagas disease

American
Trypanosomiasis

About 6 million to 7 million people worldwide, mostly in Latin America, are estimated to be infected with Trypansosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease.

Promastigotes of Leishmania parasite which cause leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis

The leishmaniases are a group of diseases caused by protozoan parasites from more than 20 Leishmania species. These parasites are transmitted to humans by the bites of the infected female phlebotomine sandfly.

3d rendered medically accurate illustration of a schistosoma

Schistosomiasis

Estimates show that at least 258 million people required preventive treatment for schistosomiasis in 2014. More than 61.6 million people were reported to have been treated for schistosomiasis in 2014.

Ascariasis is a disease caused by the parasitic roundworm Ascaris lumbricoides

Ascariasis

Ascaris infection due to A. lumbricoides occurs worldwide; approximately 800 million people are infected.

Parasitic hookworm Ancylosoma duodenale in human duodenum

Hookworm

Hookworm is an intestinal parasite most commonly found in tropical and subtropical climates worldwide, particularly in Africa, South East Asia, the Western Pacific, Latin America and the Mediterranean.

Egg of parasitic roundworm Trichuris trichiura

Trichuriasis

An estimated 604-795 million people in the world are infected with whipworm. Whipworm, hookworm, and Ascaris are known as soil-transmitted parasitic worms. 

Our Team

For the purpose of eliminating human suffering due to parasitic infections it is essential that there is more and better education for all those in a position to apply medical knowledge directly to populations most in need of solutions to alleviate the burden of parasitic diseases. The three of us have had a life-time of experience in teaching parasitic diseases to students of medicine, both within the U.S.A. and abroad.

Daniel Griffin, MD

Daniel Griffin, MD, PhD

Chief, Division of Infectious Disease - ProHEALTH, an OPTUM Company, Senior Fellow for Infectious Disease - UHG Research and Development, Clinical Instructor of Medicine - Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Medicine-Division of Infectious Diseases
Dickson Despommier

Dickson D. Despommier, PhD

Emeritus Professor with appointments in: Department of Environmental Health Sciences, School of Public Health Department of Microbiology, Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Columbia University 1971-present
Charles A. Knirsch

Charles A. Knirsch, MD, MPH

Vice President, Clinical Research and Development
Peter Hotez

Peter J. Hotez MD PhD FAAP FASTMH

Dean of the National School of Tropical Medicine
Professor of Pediatrics and Molecular Virology & Microbiology at Baylor College of Medicine
Director of the Texas Children’s Center for Vaccine Development (CVD) and Texas Children’s Hospital Endowed Chair of Tropical Pediatrics
Vincent Racaniello

Vincent Racaniello, Ph.D.

Higgins Professor of Microbiology & Immunology, Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians & Surgeons

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Parasites Without Borders

A comprehensive educational resource on all aspects of parasitic diseases and their impact on humanity around the globe.

Donate to Parasites Without Borders today!

Help bring the latest medical and basic biological information pertaining to diseases caused by eukaryotic parasites to every practicing physician and medical student within the United States.

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