The Evolutionary and Health Impacts of Human Parasite Infection

3 units

Are parasites old friends or enemies we have been combatting for as long as humans have been around? Throughout our evolutionary history, humans have constantly interactedwith parasites and other organisms that make their homes in our bodies. How did these relationships evolve and how does variation in social and economic factors alter human infection risk? Why do some parasite infections cause severe illness while other are often unnoticed? How might an evolutionary understanding of human-parasite relationships help us improve health outcomes? This class will explore these questions and more as we investigate how parasites have affected human evolution and health. Pre-requisites: L48 307A or equivalent highly recommended.