VTMED 6421 - Epidemiology of Infectious Diseases

Spring. 1 credit. Letter grades only.

Enrollment limited to: second-, third-, and fourth-year veterinary students.

H. Mohammed, staff.

Introduces the epidemiologic methods used in infectious disease investigations. Also discusses the importance of surveillance systems in detecting modern epidemics and in the development of effective disease prevention and control strategies. Emphasizes understanding the relationships between the host, the agent, and the environment as they relate to disease causation. Explores contemporary epidemiologic methods applicable to old diseases that remain real or potential problems, newly emerging infectious diseases, and nosocomial infections. Selected diseases are discussed to clarify the role of epidemiology in understanding the pathogenesis of infectious processes in individuals and groups of animals. Students have the opportunity to apply the methods learned toactual disease problems and write an epidemiologic report that might lead to a publication in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.