Academic Year 2019/2020

  • Teaching Mode: Traditional lectures
  • Campus: Bologna
  • Corso: Single cycle degree programme (LMCU) in Veterinary Medicine (cod. 8617)

Learning outcomes

After completing this module the student knows the main methods of description and epidemiological characterization of  animal infectious diseases and is able to apply the main tools of veterinary epidemiology and interpret the results of epidemiological studies.

Course contents

1) Presentation

The purpose of this course is to provide a basic understanding of veterinary epidemiology and how it relates to other veterinary disciplines. This course will provide a context for the general use of epidemiological methods in the practice of veterinary medicine.

This course introduces basic concepts and approaches to population problems in veterinary medicine. Methods appropriate to investigation of disease outbreaks, surveillance of animal disease, and the production and design of epidemiological studies of the determinants of disease are presented. This course covers concepts, principles and methods of applied epidemiology, including the following topics: interpretation of diagnostic test results, sampling, measuring disease frequency, clinical epidemiology, descriptive epidemiology, causal reasoning and design, interpretation and critical appraisal of surveys, observational studies, field trials and critical appraisal.

2) Expected learning outcomes: knowledge and skills

The aims of this course is to enable participants to

  • understand the importance of Epidemiology and Statistics, both for Veterinary Science and human medical science
  • apply an Epidemiological approach and basic Epidemiological and Statistical methods in appropriate situations
  • understand the results that these basic methods produce.

At the end of the course participants will understand and be able to discuss and answer questions about the following:

  • Why an understanding of epidemiology is an important component of clinical veterinary medicine, animal health and public health
  • Why you need to have epidemiological measures (including Prevalence and Incidence rates) what they are and how they help to describe diseases
  • How to use epidemiological methods to investigate the causes of disease and the effectiveness of treatments
  • The different types of epidemiological study and how to use them to answer questions on the cause of disease
  • The way that the characteristics of diagnostic tests determine their usefulness for clinical diagnosis and for the control of diseases within populations; how to describe diagnostic tests using sensitivity, specificity, predictive value, and their relationship with incidence, prevalence and accuracy
  • Some consequences of a diagnostic test giving the wrong answer
  • The need to take samples

3) Prerequisites

Second year standing in the veterinary curriculum is required for veterinary students.

Readings/Bibliography

Recommended texts

  • Thrusfield M. Veterinary Epidemiology, Oxford, United Kingdom, Blackwell Science Ltd, 2007
  • Bottarelli E., Ostanello F. Epidemiologia: teoria ed esempi di medicina veterinaria. Edagricole, Milano, 2011 ISBN-978-88-506-5347-8

Other materials

Teaching methods

The course will comprise formal teaching (lectures, 22 hour), and 4 hour of computer lab.

Assessment methods

Student assessment will be based on final oral exams. The final exam will be comprehensive for the entire course.

Assessment not only verifies that students have attained the necessary knowledge and skills (both practical and intellectual) required, but also provides feedback to students and supports effective learning.

The assessment methods are:

  • Structured oral examinations, which test students' integrated understanding of epidemiological metheds
  • Problem-solving questions
  • Essay questions, testing understanding, analysis, synthesis and critical thinking

Procedures concerning the evaluation of the students

See: https://almaesami.unibo.it/almaesami/welcome.htm

Teaching tools

PC projector, overhead projector, slide projector, network connected PC, epidemiological software.

Links to further information

http://www2.vet.unibo.it/staff/OSTANELLO/

Office hours

See the website of Fabio Ostanello