35475 - Large Animals Infectious Diseases

Learning outcomes

After completing this module the student knows the etiology, epidemiology, symptoms, diagnosis, prevention of major infectious diseases of animals of economic interest, the organization of the NHS and is able to use essential tools for diagnosis and prophylaxis of infectious diseases of livestock.

Course contents

1) Presentation

Infectious diseases of livestock are no longer only the domain of farming communities and the veterinary profession. Many of the infectious diseases that affect livestock are of the epidemic type and tend to have rapid and explosive spread. The impact of these diseases is felt not only in their effect on the animal (sickness and sometimes death), but also as the consequent loss of productivity and reduced farm income, the economic losses from curtailed international trade in live animals and their products, and often the effect they have on people who may become infected with zoonotic diseases. We are now living in an increasingly interconnected world with high levels of national and international population movements and changing climatic conditions; episodes of emerging and re-emerging diseases are a consequence of these global changes that the world has to contend with. The effective control and management of infectious livestock diseases depends to a large extent on an understanding of the epidemiology of the disease. Also important is an understanding of the interplay between agent, host and environment, in developing interventions to control outbreaks of these infectious diseases and strategy to eradicate their causal pathogens. Surveillance for early recognition of disease problems, effective responses to prevent the spread of the disease and reliable predictive capabilities are all essential in the management of infectious disease outbreaks.

The aims of this module is to provide essential information on the major infectious disease of: Swine, Bovine, Horses.

Diseases for each group will be described according to aetiology, pathogenesis, clinical signs and epidemiology, methods of diagnosis, treatment and control, national and European legislation.

2) Expected learning outcomes: knowledge and skills

The aims of this course is to enable participants to:

• acquire knowledge about infectious diseases of large animals and develop skills which would enhance their future professional development
• provide students with solid conceptual understanding of infectious diseases of animals and methods of their diagnosis and control
• enable students to apply these general and applied concepts about infectious diseases to other related but new or emerging infectious disease which might occur in the future

By the end of the module the students are expected to have a comprehensive understanding of:

• the nature of the aetiological agents, the pathogenesis, clinical signs and epidemiology of the major infectious diseases of large animals.
• the important daignostic features of each and the most appropriate laboratory diagnostic methods.
• the most appropriate methods of control of each disease including treatment (where it relates to control), the types and use of vaccines and in certain cases, eradication.

After the course the students should be able:

• to describe general principles for prophylaxis and treatment of infections
• to evaluate principles and problems in veterinary diagnostics and surveillance of infectious agents and their way of transmission between animals
• to analyse and interpret what specific problems and solutions are involved in the vaccination against diseases of veterinary importance and to describe various vaccine technologies used
• to describe structure, function, lifecycle and pathogenic capacity of microorganism causing infectious diseases of great veterinary importance

3) Prerequisites

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

4) Programme

General concept of infectious diseases, prophylaxis and police employed in veterinary health and hygiene; paratuberculosis, equine viral arterithis, rodococcosis, E. coli infection, Porcine parvovirosis, PMWS, PRRS, PRDC, Aujeszky's disease.

Readings/Bibliography

Recommended texts

• Benazzi P., Il regolamento di Polizia Veterinaria, Esculapio, Bologna, 1994.
• Farina R., Scatozza F., Malattie Infettive degli animali, UTET, Torino, 1998.
• Gillespie J.H., Timoney J.F., Malattie Infettive degli animali domestici, Editoriale Grasso, Bologna, 1992.
• Blood D.C., Radostis O.M., Henderson J.A., Patologia medica veterinaria, Editoriale Grasso, Bologna, 1988.
• Zimmerman J., Karriker L., Ramirez A., Schwartz K., Stevenson G. (Editors). Diseases of Swine, 10th Edition, April 2012, Wiley-Blackwell, ISBN: 978-0-8138-2267-9

Other materials

• Audiovisual Materials (http://www2.vet.unibo.it/staff/ostanello; http://portaledidatticovet.unibo.it).

Teaching methods

The course will comprise formal teaching (lectures, 32 hour), and 4 farms visits. Group practicals and discussions will complement the studies.

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 Infectious diseases of livestock
• Problem-solving questions
• Essay questions, testing understanding, analysis, synthesis and critical thinking

 Procedures concerning the booking and dates of the exam sessions

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

Teaching tools

PC projector, overhead projector, slide projector, network connected PC, VCR

Links to further information

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

Office hours

See the website of Fabio Ostanello