Section of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, is the first dedicated laboratory that provides investigations for diseases caused by parasites. The laboratory has received NABL accreditation. Investigations are available for the diseases caused by various medically important protozoa, helminths and arthropod agents. Many of these diseases are of immense public health importance and include malaria, visceral leishmaniasis, lymphatic filariasis, and intestinal parasitic infections. Microscopic techniques such as direct microscopic examination of unstained preparations of clinical specimens, examination of stained smears and special investigations such as Quantitative Buffy Coat (QBC) assay and immunochromatography test (ICT) are routinely used for some of the diseases. Rapid diagnostic tests are used for diagnosis of different parasitic infections of public health importance and includes antigen detection for malaria (pLDH & HRP-II) and lymphatic filariasis, and antibody detection assays such as, rK 39 test for visceral leishmaniasis, Enzyme Linked Immuno-Sorbent Assay (ELISA) for toxoplasmosis, amoebic liver abscess, cystic hydatid disease, strongyloidiasis, toxocariasis, etc. are being carried out. The section also conducts molecular diagnostic investigations including Multiplex PCR assay for human malaria, and PCR assays for Pneumocystis jiroveci, Microsporidia & free living amoeba.