Entry requirements

120 credits including alternative 1) 40 credit points/60 credits biology and 20 credit points/30 credits chemistry or 20 credit points/30 credits earth sciences; alternative 2) 60 credit points/90 credits biology.

Learning outcomes

The course should give an overview of essential infection process in different animals including man. An important aim is to give an understanding of how immune systems and pathogen continuously evolve and adapt to another.

After the course, the student should

• describe common pathogenic viruses, how they are spread and change and how epidemics and epizootics of these arise
• describe the dispersial of pathogenic bacteria and the mechanisms behind the increasing occurrence of antibiotics resistance
• describe the most important zoonotic diseases and the role of wild animals and pets for disease transmission
• describe the most important invertebrates vectors for common human parasites and other pathogens and immunological responses among invertebrate
• exemplify the occurrence and transmission pathways of prion diseases in man and other mammals
• describe the importance of parasites and diseases in natural populations for the conservation of biological diversity
• able to search, evaluate and compile infection biology information and discuss this as seminars.

Content

The course shows how pathogenic organisms interacts with its hosts. The course should also be a place for students to meet scientists and professional within medicine, veterinary medicine and biology. The course comprises lectures and seminars where the students present assignments orally and in writing and analyse other students' assignments.

Instruction

Lectures and seminars.

Assessment

To pass the course, the following is required: 80% attendance during the lecture series 7 credits (in case of absence, the student writes a short rapport).

The project, 3 credits, is presented in an individual written assignment and an oral seminar presentation.