65870 - Communicable Diseases and Public Health

Learning outcomes

Upon completion of the course, students will understand the general principles of the epidemiological method applied to the study of infectious diseases, the criteria for interpreting and assessing the reliability of different diagnostic tests, the control methods adopted for disease management and their economic aspects, current food safety guidelines, and the responsibilities of the National Health Service (NHS) in health surveillance. Specifically, students will be able to apply the epidemiological method to study the spread of diseases within populations, to test and utilize etiological hypotheses, and to assess the effectiveness of diagnostic, therapeutic, and preventive interventions. This course is part of an integrated course whose ultimate goal is to provide students with in-depth knowledge of health issues, including their public health implications, of farmed terrestrial and aquatic species and their prophylaxis and control strategies.

Course contents

This course is part of the Integrated Course in "Animal Production Health." Upon completion of the integrated course, students will acquire in-depth knowledge of health issues, including public health implications, of farmed terrestrial and aquatic species, and related prevention and control strategies.

SPECIFIC COURSE CONTENT:

The program is structured as follows:

Theoretical lectures (16 hours): The causative agent-host-environment relationship. Progress of an infectious disease. Control and eradication plans. Refreshers of nonspecific and nonspecific immune defenses. Vaccines. Direct prophylaxis measures (8 hours). The concept of Veterinary Public Health and zoonoses. Humans as hosts of zoonoses. European Union Directive 2003/99/EC. Socioeconomic classification of zoonoses. Occupational zoonoses. Classification of biological agents based on risk and containment measures (8 hours).

Exercises (24 hours): Seminar on welfare regulations in pig farming (2 hours). Seminar on welfare regulations in cattle farming (2 hours). Seminar on pest management (2 hours). Seminar on the integrated surveillance plan for West Nile Disease (2 hours). Visit to the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale, Bologna Section (4 hours). Flipped lectures on Brucellosis (4 hours), Bovine Paratuberculosis (4 hours), and Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (4 hours). Review of course topics using kahoots (2 hours).

Readings/Bibliography

The course materials are available on the Virtual Platform (https://virtuale.unibo.it/). The teaching materials will be provided exclusively by the instructor. The specific slides for each lesson will be uploaded to the Virtual Platform by the instructor in advance.

Teaching methods

Traditional lectures and seminars on specific topics, with experts of veterinary public health. Kahoot.

Assessment methods

The assessment of learning for the Integrated Course "Animal Production Health" consists of an oral exam for each of the two courses.

For the course "DIFFUSIVE DISEASES AND PUBLIC HEALTH," the oral exam consists of a variable number of questions formulated by the instructor, aimed at assessing the candidate's knowledge. The interview lasts approximately 30 minutes. The exam is passed if all required tests are passed, and the final grade is the arithmetic mean of the grades obtained in the two parts of the exam, expressed out of 30. A minimum final grade of 18/30 is required.

In grading the oral exam, the instructor uses the following learning assessment scale:

- Knowledge of a very limited number of topics covered in the course and analytical skills that emerge only with the instructor's assistance, using generally correct language → 18-22;

- Knowledge of a limited number of topics covered in the course and independent analytical skills only on purely executive questions, using correct language → 23-26;

- Knowledge of a large number of topics covered in the course, ability to make independent critical analysis choices, mastery of specific terminology → 27-29; -

Essentially comprehensive knowledge of the topics covered in the course, ability to make independent critical analysis and connection choices, full mastery of specific terminology, and ability to argue and self-reflect → 30-30L.

A negative evaluation does not result in a grade, but only a judgment (withdrawn or rejected) recorded on the electronic transcript compiled on AlmaEsami. Therefore, it does not affect the student's academic career.

The grades for individual tests and the final exam grade will be published on the recording instructor's Virtual Platform (https://virtuale.unibo.it/) within 5 working days of the exam date. The student may reject the grade by notifying the recording instructor via email within 5 working days. The recording instructor for this course is Professor Antonietta Di Francesco. Students can register for exam sessions through AlmaEsami (http://almaesami.unibo.it/). Exam sessions are offered within the timeframes listed in the academic calendar. Additional exam sessions are reserved for students who have not completed their exam program.

Students with learning disabilities (LD) or temporary or permanent disabilities: please contact the relevant University office promptly (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/it). They will be responsible for suggesting any accommodations to the affected students. These accommodations must be submitted to the instructor for approval 15 days in advance, who will evaluate their suitability, also taking into account the course's learning objectives.

Teaching tools

PowerPoint presentations, videos, and in-class quizzes. If students have difficulty understanding the material, the instructor is available to meet with them for a clarification meeting by making an appointment via email.

Office hours

See the website of Antonietta Di Francesco