Clinical training to reduce infections of sexually transmitted parasites

Abstract

Infections due to intestinal protozoan parasites are increasing in Europe in men who have sex with men (MSM). However, sexual clinics do not routinely monitor for these sexually transmitted parasites (STPs). Our international team, led by De Montfort University (DMU, UK), has launched a complete open-access website package, named e-Parasitology© (http://parasitology.dmu.ac.uk/index.htm), which includes a battery of resources and tools (virtual microscope and laboratory) for the teaching and learning of the STPs of Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia intestinalis, Cryptosporidium spp. These virtual resources were tested with third year BSc Biomedical Science students at DMU in 2019/20 and 20/21, to evaluate their effectiveness, specifically on the acquisition of diagnostic skills. Students completed a focused 2-hour workshop using a clinical case study of E. histolytica affecting an MSM patient, and checked different virtual clinical slides available that presented structures of this parasite using the resources available in e-Parasitology. Thirty-seven and ten students voluntarily provided feedback at the end of the workshop, respectively. Most responders highlighted that e-Parasitology© helped them to learn the clinical and pathological characteristics of Entamoeba spp. (90% in 20/21), as well as how to diagnose infections due to E. histolytica (77.8%; 11.1% disagreed; 20/21 cohort). Our preliminary results suggest that e-Parasitology© facilitates the learning of laborious laboratory techniques for the diagnosis of E. histolytica and opportunistic parasites.