Course Syllabus

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EMERGING INFECTIOUS DISEASES (P8475)

CLASS SESSIONS
Wednesday, 1:00pm - 3:50pm

LL 209 A/B (Hammer Health Sciences Building, Lower Level)

 

INSTRUCTOR

Stephen S. Morse, Ph.D.

E-mail: ssm20@cumc.columbia.edu

722 W. 168th Street (Rosenfield Bldg.), Rm. 1504

Office Hours: Available by appointment

 

TEACHING ASSISTANTS

Patrick T. Dawson, MPH, M.Phil., Ph.D.(c)

E-mail: ptd2103@cumc.columbia.edu

Office Hours: By appointment

 

Meghan Murray, MPH, RN

E-mail: mtm2164@cumc.columbia.edu

Office Hours: By appointment

 

COURSE DESCRIPTION

In recent years, a number of infections have appeared for the first time, while many others have spread rapidly to new areas. HIV/AIDS, Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, SARS, H5N1 influenza and the influenza A/H1N1 pandemic in humans were all first identified within the past 25 years. Infectious causes have also been implicated in several chronic diseases.

Why do “new” infectious diseases seem to appear suddenly and spread?  Is the frequency of novel infectious diseases increasing?  What threats might we face in the future?  What can public health do to anticipate and respond to emerging infections?

This course examines the concept of emerging infectious diseases and our current understanding of infectious disease emergence. Methods for identifying and studying emerging pathogens, factors responsible for disease emergence, and methods for surveillance and intervention will be discussed, with examples of emerging pathogens. As problems closely related to the natural examples of emerging infections, public health aspects of biowarfare and bioterrorism will also be discussed.

The course will emphasize the origins and ecology of emerging infections, and illustrate some factors in their emergence and how public health scientists respond.  Disease examples discussed are intended as case studies to illustrate core underlying principles and issues.

 

COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES

Students who successfully complete this course will be able to:

  • Discuss what constitutes an emerging infection and what features distinguish emerging from conventional infections
  • Explain why and how infections emerge
  • Describe and evaluate strengths and limitations of current capabilities for advance warning and intervention
  • Describe and evaluate approaches to assess the risk of future infectious disease threats
  • Assess the most probable future risks and how they might be ameliorated

 

ASSESSMENT AND GRADING POLICY

Student grades will be based on participation and three assignments worth 30% each:

  • An essay addressing a specific question (usually from a choice of 2 questions) (4-5 pages): 30%
  • Epidemiologic analysis exercises: 30%
  • Final project: 30%
  • Class participation (class attendance & constructively participating in class discussions): 10%.

 

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

All assignments are expected to be submitted (uploaded) via CourseWorks by the stated deadlines. Late assignments will be given grade deductions. No late assignments can be submitted after the graded assignments have been returned to students.

Both final grades and take-home assignments will be graded using letter grades.

 

Course text:

No textbook is required for this course. Journal articles will be posted (on CourseWorks) at least one week prior to each lecture.

Recommended (but not required):

  • Control of Communicable Diseases Manual (the most recent is the 20th Edition, 2014), D. Heymann et al., eds. American Public Health Association. (Useful for reference.)
  • Emerging Viruses (S.S. Morse, ed.), Oxford University Press (paperback, 1996).
  • Institute of Medicine, Microbial Threats to Health: Emergence, Detection, and Response, 2003. (Available on Web from www.nap.edu, free download.)

 

Less technical, but good reading:

There are many.  Here here a few we enjoyed.  Suggestions for your favorites are welcome, too!

  • Annals of Epidemiology, Berton Roueché (Plume Books). (Classic stories of epi investigation, from the writer who started the genre.)
  • Steven Johnson, The Ghost Map (Riverhead; paperback ed., 2007). (In case you haven’t read it before: John Snow and cholera, with some new context.)

 

Some Recommended Resources

Also of interest:

 

COURSE STRUCTURE

Each session will consist of a lecture, with questions and discussion.

The course consists of three general themes, with corresponding assignments. All three themes will appear in lectures throughout the course.

THEME 1: Sources and mechanisms.  This unit discusses origins of emerging infections and mechanisms of emergence, and presents illustrative case studies.

THEME 2:  Methods for studying emerging infections.

THEME 3: Public health response and possible future challenges or new directions.

For educational reinforcement, there is some overlap between units.

 

MAILMAN SCHOOL POLICIES AND EXPECTATIONS

Students and faculty have a shared commitment to the School’s mission, values and oath: https://www.mailman.columbia.edu/research/office-diversity-culture-and-inclusion/mission-and-vision/

 

Academic Integrity

Students are required to adhere to the Mailman School Honor Code, available online at https://www.mailman.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/pdf/community-standards-and-conduct.pdf

 

Disability Access

In order to receive disability-related academic accommodations, students must first be registered with the Office of Disability Services (ODS). Students who have, or think they may have a disability are invited to contact ODS for a confidential discussion at 212.854.2388 (V) 212.854.2378 (TTY), or by email at disability@columbia.edu.  If you have already registered with ODS, please speak to your instructor to ensure that s/he has been notified of your recommended accommodations by Lillian Morales (lm31@columbia.edu), the School’s liaison to the Office of Disability Services.

 

ENCOURAGING AN OPEN AND INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM ENVIRONMENT

The Department of Epidemiology is committed to creating an educational culture that encourages free exploration of ideas while fostering robust, open, and inclusive classroom environments. Key to achieving this goal is to ensure that all students are included in the conversation and feel comfortable expressing themselves. This commitment is part of our collective enactment of the elements of the Public Health Oath in which we agree to "respect the rights, values, beliefs, and cultures of those individuals and communities with whom [we] work."

Mutual respect, appreciation of diversity, tolerance of differing views, and freedom of inquiry are fundamental principles.

An inclusive classroom environment is undermined by microaggressions (insensitive remarks or actions).  Microaggressions are commonplace verbal, behavioral, and environmental indignities, frequently unintentional, that communicate hostile, derogatory, or negative sentiments about individuals on the basis of status characteristics such as race, ethnicity, gender, sexual-orientation, religion, disability, etc. Those who commit a microaggression are usually unaware that they have demeaned another individual, but the consequences for those on the receiving end can be significant.  Microaggressions harm individuals by making them feel invalidated, isolated, diminished, and marginalized. They harm the learning environment by making it less inclusive, open and productive.

Recognizing and addressing microaggressions can help mitigate these negative consequences and thereby maintain a robust classroom environment. We believe that responding to microaggressions in the classroom is a critical part of educational growth that leads to a better understanding of the sociocultural issues we seek to investigate as epidemiologists and public health professionals. If you have observed or been the target of a microaggression from a classmate, TA, or faculty member, you are encouraged to bring it to their attention when it happens.  Faculty and TAs are willing and prepared to facilitate such engagement, even if they are responsible for the microaggression, and have made a commitment to encourage a constructive and supportive class environment for all.

If you are uncomfortable speaking up immediately, please contact the TA or instructor outside of class.

 

PLEASE NOTE: PDF COPIES OF ALL READINGS (AND SLIDES WHEN AVAILABLE) WILL BE IN THE CourseWorks PAGE FOR THAT DATE (UNDER "PAGES"). 

Session 1 (9/6/17) – Introduction & Overview: What are emerging infectious diseases? (Morse)

Learning Objectives:

  • Examine factors in the emergence of infectious diseases;
  • Appreciate the threats emerging infectious diseases pose to human health and global stability;
  • Describe tools that can assist in predicting and preventing the next pandemic zoonosis.

 

Reading:

 Karesh WB, and RA Cook. 2005. The human-animal link. Foreign Affairs 84(4).

Karesh WB, A Dobson, JO Lloyd-Smith, et al. 2012. Ecology of zoonoses: natural and unnatural histories. Lancet 380: 1936–45.

Morens DM, and AS Fauci. 2013. Emerging Infectious Diseases: Threats to Human Health and Global Stability. PLoS Pathog 9(7):e1003467.

Morse SS. 1995. Factors in the Emergence of Infectious Diseases. Emerging Infectious Diseases 1(1):7-15.

 Morse SS, Mazet JA, Woolhouse M, et al. 2012. Prediction and prevention of the next pandemic zoonosis. Lancet 380(9857):1956-1965.

Weiss RA, and AJ McMichael. 2004. Social and environmental risk factors in the emergence of infectious diseases. Nature Medicine Supplement 10(12):S70-S76.

Wolfe ND, CP Dunavan, and J Diamond. 2007. Origins of major human infectious diseases. Nature 447(7142):279-83.

 

 

 

Course Summary:

Course Summary
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