Parasites affecting humans can be difficult to diagnose because symptoms may overlap with gastrointestinal, neurological, dermatological, autoimmune and other infectious conditions. The most complex cases may require specialist microscopy, molecular testing, serology, imaging and multidisciplinary clinical assessment.
England has several internationally recognised centres for human parasitic disease, particularly the Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London and the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. The following specialists represent some of the leading clinicians and experts currently working in England in human parasitology and tropical medicine.
1. DR LAURA NABARRO, LONDON: Dr Laura Nabarro is a Consultant in Parasitology, Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases, University College London Hospitals. She leads the diagnostic parasitology service and the echinococcosis and neuroparasitology multidisciplinary team. Her areas of expertise include diagnostic parasitology, echinococcosis and parasite drug resistance.
2. DR GAURI GODBOLE, LONDON: Dr Gauri Godbole is a Consultant Parasitologist at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and Health Services Laboratories. Her professional expertise includes medical parasitology, tropical diseases, travel and migrant health, gastrointestinal pathogens and antimicrobial resistance. She also has a major role in public health and laboratory medicine.
3. DR CLARE WARRELL, LONDON: Dr Clare Warrell is a Consultant in Tropical Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and is part of the specialist parasitology team. She also works with the UK Health Security Agency's Imported Fever Service and is Course Director for the Diploma in Tropical Medicine and Hygiene at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
4. DR ANNA CHECKLEY, LONDON: Dr Anna Checkley is a Consultant in Tropical and Infectious Diseases at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases. Her work includes clinical tropical medicine and malaria, and she has led work examining deaths from imported malaria in the UK. She is particularly relevant for patients with suspected malaria or other illnesses associated with tropical travel.
5. DR ANNA LAST, LONDON: Dr Anna Last is an Honorary Consultant in Infectious Diseases at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and an Associate Professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her research includes malaria and neglected tropical diseases, making her an important specialist in the wider field of human parasitic infections.
6. DR SARAH EISEN, LONDON: Dr Sarah Eisen is a Consultant Paediatrician at UCLH and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases with a special interest in infectious diseases, tropical medicine and parasitology. She leads services for children and young people with infectious, tropical and parasitic diseases. This makes her particularly important for paediatric parasite cases.
7. DR STEPHEN WOOLLEY, LIVERPOOL: Dr Stephen Woolley is a Consultant in Tropical Medicine and Medical Microbiology and a Senior Clinical Lecturer at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. His research focuses on medical parasitology and medical microbiology, particularly malaria, and he also works within Liverpool's specialist tropical medicine services.
8. DR MIKE BROWN, LONDON: Dr Mike Brown is a Consultant in Infectious Diseases and Tropical Medicine at UCLH and the Hospital for Tropical Diseases. His research interests specifically include helminth infections, making his expertise relevant to suspected worm and other parasitic infections.
9. PROFESSOR CHRIS WHITTY, LONDON: Professor Chris Whitty is a Consultant Physician at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases and UCLH, with longstanding experience in infectious diseases and tropical medicine. His research has included malaria and strongyloidiasis, among other tropical and imported infections.
10. DR JAMES LACOURSE, LIVERPOOL: Dr James LaCourse is a specialist researcher at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine whose work focuses on the biology, epidemiology, diagnosis and control of parasitic diseases affecting humans and animals. His research includes schistosomiasis, Strongyloides, Fasciola and soil-transmitted helminths. His expertise is particularly relevant to complex helminth and neglected tropical disease research.
WHY SPECIALIST CENTRES MATTER: Human parasitic infections are not always straightforward to identify. Some infections require highly specialised microscopy, molecular diagnostics or serological testing. The Hospital for Tropical Diseases in London provides specialist diagnosis and treatment for tropical diseases and parasites and has dedicated services for conditions including echinococcosis, neuroparasitology, leishmaniasis, Chagas disease and other imported infections.
LIVERPOOL'S SPECIALIST ROLE: The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine works closely with Liverpool University Hospitals' Tropical and Infectious Diseases Unit. Its Clinical Diagnostic Parasitology Laboratory provides specialist testing for a broad range of human parasitic infections, including malaria, filariasis, schistosomiasis, strongyloidiasis and African trypanosomiasis.
THE IMPORTANCE OF PROPER TESTING: The suspected parasite should guide the investigation. Different parasites may require stool microscopy, multiple stool samples, PCR, antigen testing, serology, blood films, tissue examination or imaging. A negative result from one test does not automatically exclude every parasitic infection, particularly if the test used was not appropriate for the organism being investigated.
HOW TO ACCESS SPECIALIST CARE: In England, patients will commonly begin with a GP or another treating clinician, who can arrange initial testing and referral where appropriate. Complex cases may then be referred to specialist tropical medicine or parasitology services. The Hospital for Tropical Diseases offers specialist outpatient services and accepts GP and hospital referrals, while some urgent recent post-travel illnesses may qualify for emergency assessment under its service criteria.
FINAL THOUGHT: England has some of the strongest clinical and research expertise in human parasitology in Europe. However, there is no single specialist who is automatically the best for every parasite. A patient with suspected Strongyloides, schistosomiasis, malaria, echinococcosis, leishmaniasis, Giardia or a neurological parasitic infection may require different expertise. Matching the suspected infection with the appropriate specialist centre and diagnostic method is often more important than simply choosing the most famous name.
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