Emerging Infectious Diseases

Did you ever wonder why you need the influenza vaccine every year? Why does society worry so much about MRSA? How can a tick bite lead to paralysis? Why shouldn't you drink the water in Otter Creek? In this course we will examine the most interesting and novel infectious diseases currently plaguing the world. We will first review the principles underlying the pathogenesis of infectious agents and then apply them to better understand how these diseases spread through human populations and cause damage. Influenza (including H1N1), Ebola, MRSA, Lyme disease, and schistosomiasis will serve as examples of virulence and microbial ingenuity.