We are excited to begin our Protozoa cluster, focusing on malaria, trypanosomiasis, toxoplasmosis, and leishmaniasis. Despite advances in prevention and treatment, protozoal diseases contribute substantially to the global burden of morbidity and mortality. This cluster has a total of 153 minutes of video and 85 pages of reading spread out over the four lessons. Each lesson has all of the readings, lectures, and additional materials to help you understand the topic. You will have unlimited opportunities to take an untimed quiz after you’ve mastered the material in each lesson, and you have four quizzes to complete in this cluster. (Note: this cluster includes a case study practice quiz, ungraded, which is optional). This cluster kicks off with a close look at malaria vectors and the fascinating research being done on diagnosing, treating, and vaccinating against malaria. This is by far the largest cluster in the course, so you have up to 3 weeks to complete this cluster.

The Cestodes cluster focuses on taeniasis and echinococcosis. One example of their impact is neurocysticercosis, which is estimated as the leading cause of epilepsy in low- and middle-income countries. This cluster has a total of 41 minutes of video and 31 pages of reading spread out over two lessons. You will have unlimited opportunities to take an untimed quiz after you’ve mastered the material, and you have two quizzes to complete for this cluster. This cluster begins by looking at the acquisition, manifestation, diagnosis, and treatment of neurocysticercosis, a helminthic infection of the nervous system caused by Taenia solium.