The course will provide students with knowledge about the pathogens and pathogenic processes involved in infectious diseases of humans and domesticated animals as well as the immune responses to such pathogens..

This course runs in Semester 1 and comprises a mix of lectures and tutorials.

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Assessment

1. 50% Essay (3500 words)  ILO 4/5/6:

2. 2 x Exams (33% - 2h and 17% - 1.5h). ILO 1/2/3

The course aims to provide students with a critical understanding of the processes by which infectious disease agents (viruses, bacteria, parasites) infect their hosts, the strategies by which pathogens evade the immune responses directed against them, and how these interact to cause disease. The course will provide students with the opportunity to evaluate strategies for the prevention, control and treatment of infectious diseases.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

1. Analyse the pathogenic processes of different organisms involved in infectious diseases of humans and domesticated animals through a critical analysis and synthesis of the current literature.

2. Evaluate the cellular and molecular basis of immune responses to pathogens through a critical analysis and synthesis of the current literature.

3. Critically read and evaluate the scientific literature across infectious disease areas.

4. Critically analyse, evaluate and summarise the literature on a specific scientific area of infectious disease and present this in the form of an extended essay.

5. Produce written essays and reports in appropriate scientific style using a range of appropriate computer software (e.g. Word, Reference Manager).

6. Make use of web-based literature search engines (eg Pubmed) and other library resources to consult primary research publications and related material.

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components (including examinations) of the course's summative assessment.