Admission requirements
Required course(s):
None.
Description
In this course you will learn the microbiological and medical background of the major infectious diseases that constitute a serious global burden of disease. After this course you can better understand the requirements that are essential to limit the spread of these infections. Furthermore, you will get a glimpse of the broad spectrum of factors and players that define global health nowadays with a focus on infectious diseases. Through guest lectures and interactive activities you will learn to look beyond the single entity of a disease and understand the complexity of infectious diseases control and how intervention programmes can be used. Finally, you will be stimulated to critically reflect on the global efforts to contain the spread of these infections.
Course Objectives
To know which major pathogens nowadays impact the health of millions.
To understand some aspects of the vast global inequalities in the burden of disease caused by infectious diseases
To understand the numerous factors that influence the successes of infectious disease control within the context of global health.
More specific objectives:
You will have a basic understanding of the major infectious diseases related to microbiological characteristics of the associated pathogens (biological aspects of bacteria, viruses and parasites)
You will understand the different disease manifestations (i.e. symptoms like cough or diarrhoea) associated with the major bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic pathogens in the human host
You will understand and apply the terminology and basic facts of transmission (e.g. reservoir, transmission route, infectious dose, incubation period, basic reproduction number, critical vaccination threshold)
You will have basic knowledge on diagnosis, treatment and prevention of infectious diseases
You will have a basic understanding how the human immune system can attack microorganisms and how knowledge about this immune defence system can facilitate the design of (new) vaccines
You will have insight on the scientific and organisational challenges of implementation of either pharmaceutical interventions (antibiotics, antivirals, antiparasitic, antifungals) or non-pharmaceutical interventions (e.g. vaccination)
You will know different methods of prevention, either by killing these pathogens (e.g. presumptive treatment, vaccines) or mitigating their effect on the human body (e.g. rehydration, supplements) or eradication of the vectors (e.g. by killing mosquitos)
You will understand how climate change affects the spread of vectors and potential for new pandemic or epidemic diseases
You will explore the social dimension of health interventions and the role of social media in conspiracy theories
You will understand how insight in epidemiology, transmission, treatment and prevention has shaped concepts on the design of the most optimal health care infrastructure
You will learn how disease burden, pathogen, diagnostics and potential interventions define the design of disease control programs
Timetable
Timetables for courses offered at Leiden University College in 2024-2025 will be published on this page of the e-Prospectus.
Mode of instruction
There will be 14 class sessions, spread over a period of 8 weeks, followed by a final presentation by the students at week 9. During the class sessions, several major infectious disease categories and their causing pathogens will be discussed in detail through structured classes and assignments. Next to a disease-focused approach, you will be stimulated to study which functional requirements for healthcare infrastructure are essential to help contain and reduce morbidity and mortality associated with these infectious diseases. For example, cheap diagnostic tools such as rapid malaria tests are needed to distinguish malaria from other febrile diseases. Also, you will explore structural components of healthcare that are instrumental to limit the spread of infectious diseases, such as childhood vaccination as part of public health care. In addition, there will be classes focused on poverty related diseases, social media, climate change, antimicrobial resistance and exercises illustrating the complexity of infectious disease control. Most lectures will be given by guest lecturers, who are experts in their field and will provide the most up-to-date knowledge on the topic.
Assessment Method
You will be expected to demonstrate that you have mastered the content of this course by
your active participation in the discussions during this course (15%)
your written group-assignment (paper) (30%)
your written individual assignment (paper) (40%)
your group presentation (15%)
Reading list
Approximately 12 of the 14 classes require preparation by compulsory reading of 1-2 papers beforehand (provided through Brightspace). This is in order to have a more in-depth discussion during the class session.
Current reading list (might be updated at the start of the course):
HIV: “How AIDS invented global health”, Brandt AM, NEJM 2013;368:2149.” https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/nejmp1305297
Tuberculosis: “Tuberculosis’. Lancet 2019;393;1642-1656.” https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(19)30308-3
Malaria: “Ashley EA, Pyae Phyo A, Woodrow CJ. Malaria. Lancet. 2018; 21;391(10130):1608-1621.” https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(18)30324-6/abstract
Respiratory tract infections and diarrheal illness (GAPPD WHO): http://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/10665/79207/1/WHO_FWC_MCA_13_01_eng.Pdf
Basic introduction on vaccines: https://www.niaid.nih.gov/research/vaccine-types
Measles and other vaccine preventable childhood illness: “Historical Comparisons of Morbidity and Mortality for Vaccine-Preventable Diseases in the United States. Roush SW et al., JAMA 2007;298:2155.” https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jama/fullarticle/209448
Vaccine hesitance, the role of social media: “Antivaccine forces gaining online. Science 2020;368:699. Wadman M.” https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.368.6492.699
Tools from cognitive psychology to build support for childhood vaccination: “Going with the grain of cognition: applying insights from cognitive psychology to build support for childhood vaccination. Rossen et al. Frontiers of Psychology 2016;7:1483.” https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/psychology/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01483/full
Neglected diseases/Emerging infectious diseases: “Global burden, distribution, and interventions for infectious diseases of poverty. Bhutta ZA et al. Infect Dis Poverty 2014;3:21 31;3:21.” https://dx.doi.org/10.1186%2F2049-9957-3-21
Schistosomiasis: “Schistosomiasis. McManus DP, Dunne DW, Sacko M, Utzinger J, Vennervald BJ, Zhou XN.; Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2018 Aug 9;4(1):13.” https://www.nature.com/articles/s41572-018-0013-8
Climate change: “Climate change: fires, floods, and infectious diseases”. Lancet Microbe 2021;2:E415.”https://doi.org/10.1016/S2666-5247(21)00220-2
COVID-19, Navigation through the uncharted - the very beginning: “A Novel Coronavirus Emerging in China — Key Questions for Impact Assessment. NEJM 2020;382:693. Munster VJ et al.” https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMp2000929
Registration
Courses offered at Leiden University College (LUC) are usually only open to LUC students and LUC exchange students. Leiden University students who participate in one of the university’s Honours tracks or programmes may register for one LUC course, if availability permits. Registration is coordinated by the Education Coordinator, course.administration@luc.leidenuniv.nl.
Contact
Dr. L. van Lieshout, e.a.van_lieshout@lumc.nl
Remarks
The following study book provides excellent background reading and can be seen as the backbone of this course:
- Essential Clinical Global Health, edited by Brett D. Nelson, Wiley Blackwell, 2015
Available as e-book at: http://www.bol.com/nl/p/essential-clinical-global-health/9200000036217758/