Plagues, Past and Present

In this seminar we will consider how infectious diseases emerge, why they persist, how they can be eradicated, and why some diseases believed to be “under control” have returned. We will study pathogens and human biology with particular attention to how biological, behavioral, and social factors converge to support endemic and epidemic disease in people. Readings will include books, articles written for the layperson, and primary scientific literature that examine epidemic disease from the Middle Ages to the present, with predictions for the future. We will pay particular attention to the evolution of pathogens and new diseases within populations. 3 hrs. sem.