SASK16001U Parasitic Zoonoses and One Health control approaches

Volume 2020/2021
Education

MSc Programme in Animal Science - restricted elective
 

Content

 

Parasitic zoonoses include parasitic infections whose life cycle involves vertebrate hosts and humans. Humans may become infected incidentally or as a necessary part of the natural life cycle. Through lectures, group works, demonstrations and exercises the students are introduced to the concept of parasitic zoonotic infections and how their transmission has changed over the past decades and the discovery of new organisms transmitted from animals to humans. The course will focus on epidemiology, socio-economic burden, as well as One Health approaches to prevention and control of parasitic zoonoses in both humans and animals. Aspects of basic biology and diagnosis will also be addressed. The students will analyse a range of factors influencing the transmission of parasites and how the conditions for their transmission have changed with e.g. increasing populations of humans and urban wildlife, climate changes, human behavioural changes and reintroduction of free-ranging animals. The students will be introduced to and work with transmission models. Options and challenges in relation to control of parasitic zoonoses and in particular the One Health approach will be addressed. The course will not only focus on the major impact of parasitic zoonoses in the developing world, but also on the increasing awareness in western societies (with new borders of the EU, increased travel activity, immigrants etc). The relationship between economy and health, and control under various socio-economic settings is discussed.

One to two visits to research institutions working with zoonotic parasites are included.

 

Learning Outcome

To introduce student to the major global parasitic zoonoses, their epidemiology, including transmission patterns and relative risks, diagnosis, societal burden, as well as prevention and control. Focus will be on drivers for transmission, socio-economic burden assessments and One Health approaches to control. At the end of the course it is expected that the student can:
 

Knowledge:

  • Describe the most important groups of zoonotic parasites and their general epidemiology and control.
  • Define drivers for transmission of zoonotic parasites.
  • Define principles of disease impact estimation of zoonotic parasites on animals and man.
  • Describe the basic principles of One Health approaches to control of parasitic zoonoses.
  • Account for multi-factorial aspects of zoonoses control related to e.g. spatial and temporal distributions, cost, culture differences, religions, and production management.
  • Be capable of evaluating studies on zoonotic parasitic diseases from different regions of the world.



Skills:

  • Assess scientific literature addressing aspects of transmission, burden and control of parasitic zoonoses.
  • Perform stakeholder analysis for One Health control approaches
  • Perform overall analysis of transmission and risk factors of certain parasitic zoonoses.
  • Analyse cost-benefit relations in disease control in less favoured regions of the world.
  • Integrate knowledge on epidemiology, disease burden, and One Health control approaches in writing as well as when presenting orally.


Competences:

  • Search for relevant literature, write a scientific review article, perform oral presentations of reports and research results, collaborate with fellow students in group work on topics related to parasitic zoonoses and One Health approaches for their control.

Principles of veterinary parasitology, D. Jacobs, M. Fox, L. Gibbons and C. Hermosilla

OR

Foundations of Parasitology, L.S. Roberts and J. Janovy Jr., 7th edition.

Handouts will extensively supplement the textbook.

Other relevant books:
Shakespeare M. Zoonoses. 2002. Zoonoses. Pharmaceutical Press, UK.
Miyazaki I. 1991. Helminthic Zoonoses. International Medical Foundation of Japan.

 

The course includes lectures, group work with presentations and exercises on different zoonotic parasites. The course includes excursions to institutions working on relevant issues within the area. Through the selected group work the students will be able to get an in-depth knowledge on one subject. The practical exercise includes working with transmission and control models.

Evaluation model: Survey-based model
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 30
  • Preparation
  • 40
  • Theory exercises
  • 14
  • Excursions
  • 8
  • Project work
  • 112
  • Exam
  • 2
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Individual
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Written assignment
Oral examination, 20 minutes
Groups of students select a subject on which they prepare a literature review (report). The report will be assessed and accounts for 33% of the final individual score. Individual oral examination (20 minutes) in the selected topic and from the text book accounts 67% of the final score. The examination will examine the knowledge and skills as outlined in the course description. The report and the oral exam are independent exams and both must be passed separately. Weight: Report 33% Oral examination 67%
Exam registration requirements

A report must be submitted.

Aid
All aids allowed

For the oral examination, the student is allowed to bring presentations and additional material supporting the subject.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
More than one internal examiner
Re-exam

As ordinary exam.

Criteria for exam assesment

To achieve the maximum grade 12, the student shall be abel to:

Knowledge:

  • Describe the most important groups of zoonotic parasites and their general epidemiology and control.
  • Define drivers for transmission of zoonotic parasites.
  • Define principles of disease impact estimation of zoonotic parasites on animals and man.
  • Describe the basic principles of One Health approaches to control of parasitic zoonoses.
  • Account for multi-factorial aspects of zoonoses control related to e.g. spatial and temporal distributions, cost, culture differences, religions, and production management.
  • Be capable of evaluating studies on zoonotic parasitic diseases from different regions of the world.



Skills:

  • Assess scientific literature addressing aspects of transmission, burden and control of parasitic zoonoses.
  • Perform overall analysis of transmission and risk factors of certain parasitic zoonoses.
  • Analyse cost-benefit relations in disease control in less favoured regions of the world.
  • Integrate knowledge on epidemiology, disease burden, and One Health control approaches in writing as well as when presenting orally.


Competences:

  • Search for relevant literature, write a scientific review article, perform oral presentations of reports and research results, collaborate with fellow students in group work on topics related to parasitic zoonoses and One Health approaches for their control.