Course Description

The course includes an overview of relevant veterinary microbiology and the interaction between microbes and their hosts. The course will build upon relevant physiology pertaining to disease prevalence, prevention, and pathology will be discussed. The host immune system will be highlighted, and important bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites will be studied. Current and emerging pathogens and the relevance of potential zoonotic spillovers into human populations will be discussion points. Students will have foundational knowledge in anatomy and physiology reinforced, with an introduction to case-based thinking. This will be applicable when assessing health at the individual or systems level.

Learning Objectives

1. Identify host defenses and summarize similarities and differences between body systems.
2. Identify and explain tissue tropism and disease patterns of different veterinary pathogens.
3. Predict which body systems will be targeted by pathogens, comparing primary and secondary pathological insults.

Course Topics

• Host Defenses
• Introduction to Pathogens
• Respiratory Pathogens
• Enteric Pathogens
• Other Pathogens
• Emerging and Zoonotic Diseases
• Pathogens in Populations, and Their Control

Credit Hours

This course is equivalent to one elective credit hour. It's a self-paced course. You are expected to spend about 14 hours finishing it. See your academic institution about using this course for credit.