Knowledge in the field of parasitology must be kept at a high level and up to date in order to fight a parasitosis as quickly and effectively as possible. This work, one of Springer's renowned and authoritative Major Reference Works, contributes to these goals in several ways. First, it comprises a number of entries, consisting of both in-depth essays and definitions. Secondly, the content has been improved even more by adding additional tables and high-quality figures. Thirdly, the extensive linking between definitions and essays facilitates information within a minimum of time. The Encyclopedia of Parasitology contains clearly structured essays in alphabetical order with extensive cross-references between definitions and related entries. International contributors, who are well-known specialists in their fields, give a comprehensive review of all parasites and therapeutic strategies in veterinarian and human parasitology. This 4th edition presents all important parasites of humans and animals in detail and the less important ones in short. Each parasite has its own large "chapter" with all subheadings (life cycle, morphology, treatment etc.). Topics common for other parasites and/or transmitted agents of diseases are presented in separate topics, which altogether are listed alphabetically. Furthermore all important parasitological and medical terms are explained as separate topics and are cross-linked to the chapters/topics, where they are explained intensively. Existing entries are updated and presented in the light of the latest knowledge.
About the Author: Heinz Mehlhorn studied Biology, German and Chemistry at the University of Bonn and graduated in 1969. In 1971 he obtained a doctorate under Prof. Gerhard Piekarski in the field of Biology/Parasitology about the life cycle and the battle against the chicken parasite Eimeria maxima. In 1972 he worked as an assistant at Universites in France and the US. In 1974 he was offered a chair at the University of Düsseldorf and being the assistant of Werner Peters he qualified in 1975 as a university lecturer on "East coast fever at cattle". In 1977 he was appointed professor at the zoological Institute II Düsseldorf and became a member of the scientific council. In 1983 he took the chair for Special Zoology and Parasitology at the Ruhr-University Bochum. In 1987 he taught as a guest-professor in Japan. He returned to Düsseldorf in 1995 to become head of department of Zoology II at the Heinrich-Heine-University. Heinz Mehlhorn is world president of the parasitology associations and Editor of the journal Parasitology Research. His main fields of expertise are the research on the microstructure of parasitic organisms and the development of medicine against parasites. He wrote 15 books in four languages, 170 articles and contributions in other publications in this field and developed 20 patents for new medicine against parasites. In 2001 he received a vocation to the North Rhine-Westphalian academy of science and art.