Epidemics - the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases
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Epidemics - the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases
The Pennsylvania State University
Informações sobre o curso
4.7
587 ratings
Not so long ago, it was almost guaranteed that you would die of an infectious disease. In fact, had you been born just 150 years ago, your chances of dying of an infectious disease before you've reached the tender age of 5 would have been extremely high.
Since then, science has come a long way in understanding infectious diseases - what they are, how they spread, and how they can be prevented. But diseases like HIV/AIDS, Malaria, Tuberculosis, or the flu are still major killers worldwide, and novel emerging diseases are a constant threat to public health. In addition, the bugs are evolving. Antibiotics, our most potent weapon against bacterial infections, are losing their power because the bacteria are becoming resistant. In this course, we'll explore the major themes of infectious diseases dynamics.
After we’ve covered the basics, we'll be looking at the dynamics of the flu, and why we're worried about flu pandemics. We'll be looking at the dynamics of childhood diseases such as measles and whooping cough, which were once considered almost eradicated, but are now making a comeback. We'll explore Malaria, and use it as a case study of the evolution of drug resistance. We'll even be looking at social networks - how diseases can spread from you to your friends to your friends' friends, and so on. And of course we’ll be talking about vaccination too. We’ll also be talking about how mobile phones, social media and crowdsourcing are revolutionizing disease surveillance, giving rise to a new field of digital epidemiology. And yes, we will be talking about Zombies - not human zombies, but zombie ants whose brains are hijacked by an infectious fungus.
We're looking forward to having you join us for an exciting course!
Habilidades que você terá
BiologyMicrobiologyPublic HealthVaccine Development
Programa - O que você aprenderá com este curso
1
Seção
Course Introduction
Welcome to Epidemics: the Dynamics of Infectious Diseases. This course will teach you about the variety of parasitic organisms that infect humans, animals, and plants, how these parasites spread through populations, and the various methods that we employ to control them.
3 leituras
3 leituras
Course Overview10min
Course Syllabus10min
Glossary of Terms10min
Pathogens
In the first module, you will learn about the organisms that can infect us and make us sick: pathogens. We will first take a look at the various types of pathogens that exist, and then learn about what it means to be infectious, and what it means to cause disease. After that, we will cover the various methods by which pathogens can transmit from one person to the next, thereby causing an epidemic. You will learn about the most important number in all of epidemiology, R0, and why this number is so important. Finally, we will learn that microorganisms are not always harmful, but can be beneficial to us as well.
7 vídeos (Total de 40 min), 1 leitura, 1 teste
7 videos
Micro and Macro Parasites5min
Infection and Disease6min
Transmission Types4min
Reproductive Number4min
Epidemic Curve6min
Micro-organisms6min
1 leituras
Module Overview10min
1 exercício prático
Summative: Pathogens20min
2
Seção
Hosts
The second module of the course covers host factors that determine the outcome of infection. We will first focus on host immunity and present both the general immune capabilities—the innate immune response—that are encoded in our genes and that provide the initial response to infection and the adaptive immune response, which arises from highly specialized cells that protect against a specific pathogen. You will then learn about the ways that pathogens circumvent these two types of immunity and consider other factors that can contribute to an individual becoming infected or diseased—including genetic factors, other microbes, and how social and emotional factors influence immunity. We will then consider how infection with a microorganism causes disease and how public health officials determine whether a disease outbreak is caused by an infectious organism.
7 vídeos (Total de 41 min), 1 leitura, 1 teste
7 videos
Types of Immunity: Adaptive Immune System5min
Immune Evasion6min
Other Determinants of Susceptibility6min
Social Influences on Immunity4min
Pathogens and Disease6min
Detecting an Infectious Disease Outbreak6min
1 leituras
Module Overview: Hosts10min
1 exercício prático
Summative: Hosts20min
3
Seção
Basics of Ecology
The third module of the course covers ecological factors that influence the dynamic patterns of infectious disease. We will discuss the conditions under which a pathogen can drive its host to extinction. We will look at how the demography of the host may allow the pathogen to persist in some populations but not others. We will talk about how host and pathogen characteristics interact to shape different temporal patterns of disease incidence at the population level and discuss the ecological consequences of infecting more than one host species.
9 vídeos (Total de 55 min), 1 leitura, 1 teste
9 videos
Force of Infection5min
Cycles4min
Seasonality3min
Flu 19185min
Host Diversity, Host Range3min
Critical Community Size8min
Pathogen-Microbiome Interactions8min
The 2014 Ebola Outbreak9min
1 leituras
Module Overview: Basics of Ecology10min
1 exercício prático
Summative: Basics of Ecology20min
4
Seção
Epidemiology
Where humans live and how they are connected to each other, have strong effects on how infectious diseases can spread. In this module, you will learn about some of the related key concepts of epidemiology. After looking at some fascinating history, we’ll learn about social networks as the ultimate “road map” on which diseases can travel and we’ll talk about how the structure of the network can influence disease dynamics. After that, we’ll cover three topics that all affect infectious disease epidemiology in dramatic ways: human transport systems, population density and so-called superspreaders - individuals who can spread a disease to dozens or even hundreds of other individuals. We’ll close by identifying what information is required for disease surveillance.
8 vídeos (Total de 52 min), 1 leitura, 1 teste
8 videos
Social Networks5min
Structure of Networks5min
Superspreaders6min
Spatial Hetergeneity5min
Movement and Modern Transportation5min
Surveillance and Disclosure5min
Co-Infection Consequences10min
1 leituras
Module Overview: Epidemiology10min
1 exercício prático
Summative: Epidemiology20min
4.7
83%
Melhores avaliações
por DB•Apr 23rd 2016
Can't fault this course at all and nor would I want to. Very interesting, brilliantly presented and the range of experts really enhanced it. It was engaging and made me keen to find out more.
por DJ•May 13th 2017
It is a wonderful course , I have gain and updated my Knowledge in the area of Epidemics and Infectious Disease, Thanks to the Course organizers and most effective presentations . Dr Shivaji
Instrutores
Dr. Ottar N. Bjornstad
Professor of Entomology and BiologyDepartment of Biology
Dr. Rachel A. Smith
Associate ProfessorDepartment of Communication Arts & Sciences and Human Development & Family Studies
Dr. Mary L. Poss
Professor of BiologyDepartment of Biology
Dr. David P. Hughes
Assistant Professor of Entomology and BiologyDepartment of Biology
Dr. Peter Hudson
Willaman Professor of BiologyDepartment of Biology
Dr. Matthew Ferrari
Assistant Professor of BiologyDepartment of Biology
Dr. Andrew Read
Alumni Professor in the Biological Sciences, and Professor of EntomologyCenter for Infectious Disease Dynamics
Dr. Marcel Salathé
Assistant Professor of BiologyDepartment of Biology
Sobre The Pennsylvania State University
Founded in 1855 as Pennsylvania's only land-grant university, The Pennsylvania State University combines academic rigor with a vibrant campus life. A nationally recognized Research-I institution, Penn State teaches students to be leaders with a global perspective.
Supporting not only the citizens of our Commonwealth, Penn State engages in collaborative activities with industrial, educational, and agricultural partners in the United States and abroad to generate, disseminate, integrate, and apply knowledge that is valuable to society.
Perguntas Frequentes – FAQ
When will I have access to the lectures and assignments?
Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
Is financial aid available?
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