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A comprehensive, advanced and free educational resource on all aspects of parasitic diseases and their impact on humanity around the globe.
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.
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 May, June, and July, donations made to Parasites Without Borders (PWB) will be matched by the organization and donated to Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC)
Throughout May, June, and July, donations made to Parasites Without Borders (PWB) will be matched by the organization and donated to Foundation for International Medical Relief of Children (FIMRC), for a total gift of up to $10,000. Founded in 2002 by Dr. Vikram D. Bakhru, FIMRC is a U.S.-based nonprofit organization that works to improve access to care through innovative, self-sustaining health programs. FIMRC works alongside communities to improve health from the ground up — including building necessary infrastructure, such as constructing or updating buildings; ensuring communities have access to a healthcare professional; and educating on preventive health. Learn more at fimrc.org
Authoritative Learning Materials
For Educators
Books
Our books are required reading for physicians planning to practice abroad, helping them gain a better understanding of the common infections they will likely be seeing and treating.
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Certification Exams
Having a team of physicians who are certified in caring for parasitic infections will better serve 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.
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Tropical Medicine Curriculum
Deepen your understanding of parasitic and tropical diseases with our self study course. Break down geographical barriers to tropical medicine education.
Our Books
Parasites Without Borders offers several books for FREE and for purchase for educators.
The Problem
Common Parasitic Infections
As our world gets smaller, parasites loom larger. With a growing population, rapid climate change, economic inequality and social unrest, we're seeing a perfect breeding ground for parasites. With our resources, we can defend our world from needless suffering.
Malaria
Globally in 2023, there were an estimated 263 million malaria cases and 597,000 malaria deaths in 83 countries.
African
Trypanosomiasis
Sustained control efforts have reduced the number of new cases by 97% in the last 20 years, with under 1,000 cases in 2022 (compared to 300,000 cases in 1995). For the period 2016–2020, the population at risk was 55 million people, with only 3 million at moderate-high risk. The WHO Neglected Tropical Diseases Roadmap is targeting 2030 as the interruption of transmission (zero cases).
American
Trypanosomiasis
More than 7 million people worldwide, mostly in Latin America, are estimated to be infected with Trypansosoma cruzi, the parasite that causes Chagas disease.
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. An estimated 700,000 to 1 million new cases occur annually.
Schistosomiasis
Estimates show that at least 251.4 million people required preventive treatment for schistosomiasis in 2021, out of which more than 75.3 million were reported to have been treated.
Ascariasis
Ascaris infection due to A. lumbricoides occurs worldwide; an estimated 772–892 million people globally are infected.
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. They infect roughly 406 – 480 million people globally.
Trichuriasis
The whipworm parasite, Trichuris trichiura, is a soil-transmitted helminth. Globally, whipworms infect an estimated 429 – 508 million people.
Our Team
Our team has had a lifetime of experience in teaching parasitic diseases to students of medicine, both within the U.S. and abroad. Our goal is to eliminate human suffering due to parasitic infections, and in order to do so, it is essential that there is more -- and better -- education for those in a position to apply medical knowledge to populations most in need. Our resources provide solutions to help alleviate the burden of parasitic diseases.
Daniel Griffin, MD, PhD
Dickson D. Despommier, PhD
Charles A. Knirsch, MD, MPH
Peter J. Hotez MD PhD FAAP FASTMH
Vincent Racaniello, Ph.D.
Deepen your understanding of parasitic and tropical diseases with our self study course. Break down geographical barriers to tropical medicine education.
Access is free. Knowledge is invaluable. Impact is global.
