Edoardo Bellarmino Perroncito (10 March 1847, Viale in the

Province of Asti The province of Asti (; Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ''provincia d'Ast'') is a Provinces of Italy, province in the Piedmont region of Italy. Its capital is the city of Asti. To the northwest it borders on the Metropolitan City of Turin; ...

– 4 November 1936) was an Italian

parasitologist Parasitology is the study of parasites, their hosts, and the relationship between them. As a biological discipline, the scope of parasitology is not determined by the organism or environment in question but by their way of life. This means it f ...

. He was the father of

pathologist Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...

Aldo Perroncito (1882–1929). He earned his degree in

veterinary medicine Veterinary medicine is the branch of medicine that deals with the prevention, management, medical diagnosis, diagnosis, and treatment of disease, disorder, and injury in non-human animals. The scope of veterinary medicine is wide, covering all a ...

, and in 1879 he became a professor of parasitology to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine at the

University of Turin The University of Turin (Italian language, Italian: ''Università degli Studi di Torino'', UNITO) is a public university, public research university in the city of Turin, in the Piedmont (Italy), Piedmont region of Italy. It is one of the List ...

. Remembered for his extensive research of ''

Ancylostoma duodenale ''Ancylostoma duodenale'' is a species of the roundworm genus '' Ancylostoma''. It is a parasitic nematode worm and commonly known as the Old World hookworm. It lives in the small intestine especially the jejunum of definitive hosts, generally ...

'' (

hookworm Hookworms are Gastrointestinal tract, intestinal, Hematophagy, blood-feeding, parasitic Nematode, roundworms that cause types of infection known as helminthiases. Hookworm infection is found in many parts of the world, and is common in areas with ...

), in 1880 he determined that hookworm was the cause of

anemia Anemia (also spelt anaemia in British English) is a blood disorder in which the blood has a reduced ability to carry oxygen. This can be due to a lower than normal number of red blood cells, a reduction in the amount of hemoglobin availabl ...

being suffered by workmen building the St. Gotthard railway tunnel. He was the first to recommend using an extract of the Male Fern (

Dryopteris filix-mas ''Dryopteris filix-mas'', the male fern, is a common fern of the temperateness, temperate Northern Hemisphere, native plant, native to much of Europe, Asia, and North America. It favours damp shaded areas in the understory of woodlands, but also ...

) as a remedy for the disease. In 1878 he identified the highly contagious disease of domestic fowl which is considered to be the first historical record of

avian influenza Avian influenza, also known as avian flu or bird flu, is a disease caused by the influenza A virus, which primarily affects birds but can sometimes affect mammals including humans. Wild aquatic birds are the primary host of the influenza A viru ...

(initially known as a fowl plague).

Selected writings

* ''L'anemia dei contadini, fornaciai e minatori in rapporto coll'attuale epidemia negli operai del Gottardo. Studi ed osservazioni, profilassi e cura'', 1881 - The anemia of farmers, miners and kiln workers in relation to the epidemic of the St. Gotthard workers. Study and observation, prevention and remedy. * ''La Tubercolosi dei bovini in rapporto alla tubercolosi umana'', 1903 - Tuberculosis in cattle in relation to human

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB), also known colloquially as the "white death", or historically as consumption, is a contagious disease usually caused by ''Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can al ...

. * ''La malattia dei minatori, dal S. Gottardo al Sempione, una questione risolta'', 1909 - The disease of miners, St. Gotthard to Simplon, a settled issue.WorldCat Titles
(publications)

References

External links

Science Photo Library
(photograph of Perroncito). {{DEFAULTSORT:Perroncito, Edoardo Italian parasitologists Italian veterinarians 1936 deaths 1847 births People from the Province of Asti Academic staff of the University of Turin