India, being a tropical country, is a playground for myriads of parasites of men, animals and plants. Biologists with different specializations are engaged to solve the problems of parasitic infections. As usual, the initial attempts were for elucidating life cycle of the parasites, knowing their host range , distribution of the parasites in biotic and abiotic agencies . Since identification of the parasite was a pre-requisite for such research, taxonomic work dominated the scenario. So much so, that a little morphological difference led to creation of a new parasitic species without ascertaining other details. Even recovery of the parasite from a new host species or geographical area resulted in creation of a new parasite species.
In late sixties, scientists concentrated their attention on pathology of parasitic diseases of the animals where histopathology was the dominant field. Finding of new drugs for the parasitic infections was another emerging field. Slaughter house material was important source to diagnose the infection or to judge prevalence of the infection in a given area. Parasitological diagnosis was the only way for identifying the infection during ante mortem.
In early nineties , more changes were visible in the research in Veterinary Parasitology. Work was initiated to study clinical picture of important parasitic diseases. This time , more attention was paid on understanding a parasitic disease rather than parasitological findings. This period also witnessed start of studies on biochemical changes during parasitic diseases. This methodology was able to monitor the changes in the patients through out the disease period which was not the case with histopathology. Additionally , the biochemical changes helped in supplementing the treatment with desired drugs and also suggested prognosis of the infection. Thus we observed in our experimental schistosome infection in rabbits and goats that the animals suffered from severe anemia and hypoglycemia just after 30 days post infection and after wards which may lead to death of the animal if not treated.
Poor efficacy of Parasitological methods in diagnosing parasitic infections was soon realized which resulted in two diversions. In the first , comparative studies were made for checking efficacy of different Parasitological methods at different stages of the parasitic infections and in different animal species. The other diversion was towards immuno-diagnosis. Here immuno-diagnosis of helminthic diseases was marred with the problems of non specific reactions because of poor quality of the antigen. There was also problem in procuring antigens in sufficient quantities as methods of in vitro cultivation of the parasites are not feasible in most of the cases. Initially, the work was conducted on old immunodiagnostic methods like CFT, IHA, DID etc but soon it was realized that the tests were not only non-specific but also required larger quantities of the antigen and serum. For this reason, the efforts were shifted to plate ELISA or dot ELISA –the latter is not only simple (without requiring any sophisticated equipments ) but also require little quantity of the antigen and test serum. Since antibody detection does not represent correct status of the infection in the host ,the work has been shifted , in recent years, for detecting circulating antigens rather than the antibodies.
The advancement of parasitic work also emphasized the need of development of new techniques or modifications of old techniques for getting more accurate results. For instance, experimental work on schistosomes required breeding ,maintaining and infecting fresh water snails in the laboratory. The old methods were tedious, time consuming ,causing heavy snail mortality and may not be carried out at large scale. Like wise, there was no effective method of infecting domestic animal with schistosome cercariae or recovering schistosomes from them. The old methods were not accurate and blood fluke recovery was also not proper by tissue chopping method. Looking to the shortcomings of old methods , new techniques were developed in our laboratory. The polythene –tail technique proved accurate in infecting large animals with counted number of schistosome cercariae . A perfusion technique using vertical water pump, commonly used in the desert water coolers, made the technique cost effective , simple to be followed in any laboratory for more accurate schistosome recovery.
There is a long debate about the scientific achievements by Indian scientists or Parasitologists. Most of the time, Indian work has been blamed a copycat of western work with little originality. However, it is necessary to implement this work under Indian conditions which is to be tested under Indian conditions. Perhaps, this research is fulfilling such need. Though its true that such scientific research do not get recognition at any level.
Another debate has been initiated , in recent years, mainly by our public representatives who abandon all such type of research which does not solve the problems of general public . In their opinion, our money and efforts should be diverted to search the problems of general public . In relation to public health, there is emphasis to develop a simple field oriented diagnostic technique for an infectious disease Likewise, there is a need of finding a cost effective treatment strategy for important infectious diseases. We should not over emphasize Allopathic method of treating the ailments which are costly and marred with corporate biasness. Rather there is the need of searching our herbs for curing or preventing the diseases. In a recent national conference of parasitology at Regional Medical Research Centre for Tribes, Jabalpur , a Homeopathy college proprietor informed about the development of a homeopathic drug, costing less than one rupee per treatment, which is able to prevent malaria occurrence in the person for more than six months by a single dose therapy. He invited scientific community to verify this claim and if found true to extend it in other geographies . Certainly, there is need not to discard such claims without verifications and to concentrate more attention on alternate methodology which is cost effective and is able to solve our public health problems.
It should also be remembered that 90% countries ,facing public health problems like ours , are poor and will be more than happy to try whatever India may develop to solve such health problems.
