Disease Ecology

The overarching aim of the course is to offer a current and comprehensive view of the causes and consequences of infectious disease at the levels of individuals, populations, communities, and ecosystems. Primary objectives are that students understand 1) the host-parasite relationship as a key ecological interaction (i.e., analogous to the predator-prey relationship) and 2) the general approaches and specific techniques essential to the study disease ecology.

• Summarize the key features and describe the impact/relevance of different infectious diseases affecting free-living organisms

• Evaluate behavioral and ecological factors that affect spatio-temporal variation in disease outbreaks

• Make and justify predictions relating to ecological variation and host immune defenses

• Assess methods for studying diseases and host defenses of wild populations

• Design and implement an ecological study to answer a question related to diseases and host defenses

• Develop and analyze compartmental models and other SIR models, including through the use of programming software (e.g., R)

• Appraise the strengths and limitations of modelling diseases and outbreaks in wild populations

• Compare and contrast scenarios that would and would not result in a disease outbreak

• Evaluate potential interventions for their capacity to control an outbreak

• Written test with open and closed questions (33.34%) Based on entire lecture/theory component.
• Assignment other (33.33%) Project 1: computer/modelling practical; here a subset of the exercise is submitted for evaluation and feedback. The following aspects be used for assessment: 1) clarity of and integration into disease ecology framework; 2) depth and quality of analyses; 3) quality, relevance, and appropriate use of peer-reviewed scientific literature and other sources; and 4) overall presentation technique and layout.
• Assignment other (33.33%) Project 2: field/laboratory practical; here short research summaries supported by PowerPoint slides (or equivalent) are presented in class for evaluation and feedback. The following aspects be used for assessment: 1) clarity of and integration into disease ecology framework; 2) depth and quality of analyses; 3) quality, relevance, and appropriate use of peer-reviewed scientific literature and other sources; and 4) overall presentation technique and layout.
• Performance (%) Compulsory (field) practical sessions

ZSS06100 Laboratory Safety, ZSS06200 Fieldwork Safety Ecological interactions, basic physiology, basic microbiology, e.g.,
MBI: CBI20306 Cell Biology and Health, HAP21806 Behavioural Endocrinology, NEM20806 Basics of Infectious Diseases.
MFN: WEC20803 Applied Animal Ecology, WEC30306 Animal Ecology.
MAS: QVE20306 Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics, QVE30306 Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology, QVE30806 Management of Infections and Diseases in Animal Populations.

• Resources, including the following, will be made digitally available: handouts from the lectures; the required readings (usually two articles per double lecture); additional related (and sometimes non-required) literature and audio-visual files; and background, explanations and protocols for the modelling and field practical components.