Emile Brumpt
Encyclopedia
Alexandre Joseph Emile Brumpt (March 10, 1877 – July 8, 1951) was a French
parasitologist
who was born in Paris
. He studied zoology
and parasitology in Paris, obtaining his degree in science in 1901, and his medical doctorate in 1906. In 1919 he became a professor to the Faculté de Médecine, as well as director of the parasitology laboratory in Paris. Much of his career was spent performing research in Africa and Latin America
.
Brumpt is credited with the discovery of the avian malarial
parasite, Plasmodium gallinaceum
during an expedition to Ceylon. He did important research involving the African tsetse fly
(Glossina palpalis) as a biological vector for trypanosomiasis
. He is also credited for introducing a technique known as "xenodiagnosis" into parasitological research, and did extensive studies of diseases such as bilharzia, Chagas disease
, onchocerciasis
and leishmaniasis
. He also described Blastocystis hominis and Entamoeba
dispar. The latter species helped to explain why most people who appeared to be infected with Entamoeba histolytica
were asymptomatic. However because there are no morphological differences between the two species his proposal was largely ignored for over 50 years before being proven correct using molecular techniques.
Numerous parasitic species bear his name, including Plasmodium brumpti
and Xenocoeloma brumpti. Also, a genus of phlebotomine sand flies
, Brumptomyia, and a species of Corsican mosquito, Culex brumpti, are named after him.
Brumpt's best known written work is Précis de Parasitologie, which was published in six editions between 1910 and 1949. He also composed many scientific papers, including several on the Anopheles
mosquito
and its relationship to malaria.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
parasitologist
Parasitology
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...
who was born in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
. He studied zoology
Zoology
Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...
and parasitology in Paris, obtaining his degree in science in 1901, and his medical doctorate in 1906. In 1919 he became a professor to the Faculté de Médecine, as well as director of the parasitology laboratory in Paris. Much of his career was spent performing research in Africa and Latin America
Latin America
Latin America is a region of the Americas where Romance languages – particularly Spanish and Portuguese, and variably French – are primarily spoken. Latin America has an area of approximately 21,069,500 km² , almost 3.9% of the Earth's surface or 14.1% of its land surface area...
.
Brumpt is credited with the discovery of the avian malarial
Malaria
Malaria is a mosquito-borne infectious disease of humans and other animals caused by eukaryotic protists of the genus Plasmodium. The disease results from the multiplication of Plasmodium parasites within red blood cells, causing symptoms that typically include fever and headache, in severe cases...
parasite, Plasmodium gallinaceum
Plasmodium gallinaceum
Plasmodium gallinaceum is a species of the genus Plasmodium that causes malaria in poultry.- Description :...
during an expedition to Ceylon. He did important research involving the African tsetse fly
Tsetse fly
Tsetse , sometimes spelled tzetze and also known as tik-tik flies, are large biting flies that inhabit much of mid-continental Africa between the Sahara and the Kalahari deserts. They live by feeding on the blood of vertebrate animals and are the primary biological vectors of trypanosomes, which...
(Glossina palpalis) as a biological vector for trypanosomiasis
Trypanosomiasis
Trypanosomiasis or trypanosomosis is the name of several diseases in vertebrates caused by parasitic protozoan trypanosomes of the genus Trypanosoma. Approximately 500,000 men, women and children in 36 countries of sub-Saharan Africa suffer from human African trypanosomiasis which is caused by...
. He is also credited for introducing a technique known as "xenodiagnosis" into parasitological research, and did extensive studies of diseases such as bilharzia, Chagas disease
Chagas disease
Chagas disease is a tropical parasitic disease caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. T. cruzi is commonly transmitted to humans and other mammals by an insect vector, the blood-sucking insects of the subfamily Triatominae most commonly species belonging to the Triatoma, Rhodnius,...
, onchocerciasis
Onchocerciasis
Onchocerciasis , also known as river blindness and Robles' disease, is a parasitic disease caused by infection by Onchocerca volvulus, a nematode . Onchocerciasis is the world's second-leading infectious cause of blindness. It is not the nematode, but its endosymbiont, Wolbachia pipientis, that...
and leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoan parasites that belong to the genus Leishmania and is transmitted by the bite of certain species of sand fly...
. He also described Blastocystis hominis and Entamoeba
Entamoeba
Entamoeba is a genus of Amoebozoa found as internal parasites or commensals of animals.In 1875, Fedor Lösch described the first proven case of amoebic dysentery in St Petersburg, Russia. He referred to the amoeba he observed microscopically as 'Amoeba coli'; however it is not clear whether he was...
dispar. The latter species helped to explain why most people who appeared to be infected with Entamoeba histolytica
Entamoeba histolytica
Entamoeba histolytica is an anaerobic parasitic protozoan, part of the genus Entamoeba. Predominantly infecting humans and other primates, E. histolytica is estimated to infect about 50 million people worldwide...
were asymptomatic. However because there are no morphological differences between the two species his proposal was largely ignored for over 50 years before being proven correct using molecular techniques.
Numerous parasitic species bear his name, including Plasmodium brumpti
Plasmodium brumpti
Plasmodium brumpti is a parasite of the genus Plasmodium subgenus Sauramoeba.Like all Plasmodium species P. brumpti has both vertebrate and insect hosts...
and Xenocoeloma brumpti. Also, a genus of phlebotomine sand flies
Phlebotominae
Members of the subfamily Phlebotominae are known outside of the United States by the name sand fly. This subfamily includes numerous genera of blood-feeding flies, including the primary vectors of leishmaniasis, bartonellosis and pappataci fever...
, Brumptomyia, and a species of Corsican mosquito, Culex brumpti, are named after him.
Brumpt's best known written work is Précis de Parasitologie, which was published in six editions between 1910 and 1949. He also composed many scientific papers, including several on the Anopheles
Anopheles
Anopheles is a genus of mosquito. There are approximately 460 recognized species: while over 100 can transmit human malaria, only 30–40 commonly transmit parasites of the genus Plasmodium, which cause malaria in humans in endemic areas...
mosquito
Mosquito
Mosquitoes are members of a family of nematocerid flies: the Culicidae . The word Mosquito is from the Spanish and Portuguese for little fly...
and its relationship to malaria.
External links
- http://entamoeba.lshtm.ac.uk/brumpt.htm
- http://www.pathexo.fr/pages/english/ObEBrump.html