52432 - Infectious Diseases, Prophylaxis and Police Employed in Veterinary Health and Hygiene Surveillance

Learning outcomes

By the end of the course, the student: knows the concepts of etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, and prophylaxis of infectious diseases transmissible to humans (zoonoses) and of highly contagious diseases (former OIE List A); knows the Veterinary Police Regulation, including updates to current legislation; is able to express well-founded judgments on infectious diseases; is able to communicate information on infectious diseases to both specialists and non-specialists; has acquired practical skills in the prophylaxis of infectious diseases subject to State control programs.

Course contents

By the end of the course, students will be able to interpret the role of international and national institutions in safeguarding the health and well-being of animals and humans. They will also be able to define the sequence and hierarchy of actions aimed at planning and implementing health control and eradication plans in ordinary or emergency situations (international governance, national governance, national plan for epidemic emergencies). With regard to epidemic diseases (foot-and-mouth disease, peste des petits ruminants, African and classical swine fever), students will learn to assess the most appropriate prevention measures to avoid the emergence of outbreaks on a farm or within a territory. Concerning endemic diseases (Bluetongue, Q fever, ruminant pestivirus diseases, mastitis, bovine respiratory syndromes), students will be able to identify and discuss the most appropriate control and prophylaxis measures to limit their economic impact. Students will be able to identify factors that influence animal health and welfare, risk factors, and the socio-economic dimensions of transmissible animal diseases, including some zoonotic diseases (rabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis, Q fever, Rift Valley fever). They will learn about the role and interactions of organizations that, in different capacities, deal with animal and human health: WOAH, EFSA, WHO, and FAO. FAO will also be discussed with regard to the role of the veterinary profession in reducing hunger and promoting sustainable production. Students will address the "One Health" theme and the holistic approach to the health of animals and the environment, considered necessary to achieve many of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) identified by the United Nations. The quadripartite agreement among WHO, WOAH, FAO, and UNEP will be presented and discussed. Students will understand the importance of partnerships with different stakeholders and shared responsibilities to promote health and sustainable development, and they will learn examples of global partnerships developed by international organizations to reduce the economic and social impact of transmissible diseases. They will discuss the importance of global scientific cooperation, the dissemination and sharing of health data, and the promotion of capacity building in the field of prevention and control of transmissible diseases in developing countries. Specifically, for each disease, etiopathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, and prophylaxis measures will be addressed. Students will understand the epidemiology and discuss biosecurity principles, national and European regulations, and will define, providing justification, the actions to be taken in the event of an outbreak of the following epidemic diseases: foot-and-mouth disease, classical swine fever, African swine fever. Students will know the etiopathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, and prophylaxis; they will understand the epidemiology, discuss biosecurity principles, become familiar with national and European regulations, and define, providing justification, the actions to be taken for the following emerging diseases: Rift Valley fever, Lumpy skin disease, Peste des petits ruminants. Students will know the etiopathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, and prophylaxis of the following zoonotic diseases: rabies, brucellosis, tuberculosis, Q fever. Students will know the etiopathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, and prophylaxis of the following endemic diseases of economic relevance for livestock: bovine mastitis, bovine respiratory syndromes, IBR, BVD/MD. Practical training activities are aimed at simulating the health interventions necessary to confirm an outbreak of an epidemic disease. The course is divided into two modules: Module 1 (course coordinator Prof. Fabio Ostanello) and Module 2 (course coordinator Prof. Marco De Nardi). It is part of the integrated course "TRANSMISSIBLE DISEASES AND PUBLIC HEALTH", for which the official examiner is Prof. Elena Catelli.

Readings/Bibliography

Recommended texts

• Malattie infettive degli animali. A cura di M. Fadda, V. Cuteri, P. Dall'Ara, G. Iovane, F. Marsilio. Milano, Point Veterinaire Italie, 2023. ISBN: 978889921184.

Other material

• Audiovisual material and slides (Virtuale: https://virtuale.unibo.it/).

Teaching methods

The course consists of lectures and practical lessons (exercises). Practical exercises are carried out in intensive cattle farms and involve the simulation of an intervention within a suspected outbreak of an epidemic disease (correct entry and exit procedures from the outbreak area, collection of samples needed for confirmation, preliminary epidemiological analysis) (acquisition of professional skills). What is carried out during the practical sessions will be integrated with discussion of the prophylaxis techniques used in the specific production context and identification of possible improvements (development of analytical and synthesis skills; communication skills and teamwork). During lectures, general characteristics and key issues related to etiology, epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs, diagnosis, and prophylaxis of infectious diseases will be discussed.

Assessment methods

Assessment is expressed as a score out of thirty. The exam is passed with a score of at least 18/30. In the case of the maximum score (30/30), honors (lode) may be awarded. The exam consists of an oral interview lasting approximately 30 minutes. The exam aims to assess the student’s critical and methodological skills. Particular attention is paid to the student’s ability to reason across topics and to connect concepts from the different parts of the course with each other and with information from previous years’ courses. Each interview may be awarded a score ranging from 18 to 30 points, based on the following criteria:

1. Achieving an organic and comprehensive view of the topics covered during the course, together with their critical use, and demonstrating full command of appropriate terminology and expressive skills.
2. Limited synthesis and analysis and/or correct but not always appropriate language will lead to satisfactory evaluations.
3. Knowledge gaps and/or inappropriate language, though within a context of minimal knowledge of the exam material, will lead to grades not exceeding a pass.
4. Significant knowledge gaps, inappropriate language, and lack of orientation within the topics covered during the course will be evaluated negatively.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint presentations, scientific publications, videos, and multimedia materials uploaded to the Virtuale platform will be made available to students.

Office hours

See the website of Fabio Ostanello

See the website of Marco De Nardi