Infectious and Parasitic Diseases
A.Y. 2024/2025
Learning objectives
The course aims at providing: 1) basic knowledge of the main infectious diseases of animals in a one-health perspective; 2) basic knowledge of parasitology, epidemiology, and pathogenesis of parasitic diseases.
The Infectious Diseases module will also include the basic principles of epidemiology, crucial for understanding disease transmission and the importance of correctly selecting a diagnostic assay. For each disease, special focus will be given to pathogenesis and laboratory diagnosis, as these are most relevant for a biotechnologist's background. The lectures will be integrated with practical activities in the laboratory and with external activities including visits to companies or University laboratories equipped with advanced analytical and diagnostic instrumentation.
The Parasitic Diseases module will provide a detailed picture of selected parasites and parasitic diseases representing the models by which a general picture of the discipline will be delineated. Among model diseases, the course will privilege those for which molecular analyses are more advanced, in order to provide a biotechnological perspective to the course.
The Infectious Diseases module will also include the basic principles of epidemiology, crucial for understanding disease transmission and the importance of correctly selecting a diagnostic assay. For each disease, special focus will be given to pathogenesis and laboratory diagnosis, as these are most relevant for a biotechnologist's background. The lectures will be integrated with practical activities in the laboratory and with external activities including visits to companies or University laboratories equipped with advanced analytical and diagnostic instrumentation.
The Parasitic Diseases module will provide a detailed picture of selected parasites and parasitic diseases representing the models by which a general picture of the discipline will be delineated. Among model diseases, the course will privilege those for which molecular analyses are more advanced, in order to provide a biotechnological perspective to the course.
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, the student will be able to understand the etiology, transmission, pathogenesis, and manifestation of the most relevant infectious diseases; will understand the key requirements and steps in the development of a new diagnostic test in different settings and its performance measures; will be aware of the informative resources and of the National and International authorities involved in regulation, information, monitoring, and control activities. The student will also acquire the ability to describe and interpret the main parasite relationships as well as to analyze biological cycles, transmission mechanisms and parasite/host coexistence and coevolution strategies.
Lesson period: First semester
Single course
This course can be attended as a single course.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
MALATTIE INFETTIVE:
Host-pathogen interactions. Infectious disease definitions and basic veterinary epidemiology concepts. Biosecurity basics. Bugs and diseases: a taxonomic overview of bacterial and viral etiological agents. The main infectious diseases of livestock and pets, with a focus on those of current relevance. One health: zoonoses, food-borne diseases, antibiotic resistance. Regulatory bodies and resources: WOAH-OIE, Italian Ministry of Health, IZS, Reference Centers. Biotechnological tools for veterinary infectious disease diagnosis and prevention: definitions, contexts, approaches, methods. Case studies on the development of innovative diagnostic tools. Laboratory activities on MALDI-TOF MS, pen-side diagnostics, immunoassay optimization.
PARASITIC DISEASES:
Parasites and their life cycles: an introduction. Basic principles and terms in evolutionary biology and ecology. Parasite biology and molecular biology: model protozoa and helminths. Basic principles and terms in parasitology. The animal phyla: their evolution and body plan. Parasite biology: Cestoda, with emphasis on Taenia spp. and Echinococcus spp. Pathogenesis, virulence and the evolution of host-symbiont interactions. Parasite biology: Nematoda, with emphasis on Trichinella spp, Ascaris spp, trichostrongylidae in ruminants, Strongyloides spp. Parasite biology: ticks and a general introduction to arthropods and arthropod vectors. The immunobiology of parasitic diseases. The global impact and importance of parasitic diseases. Diseases caused by protozoans, with emphasis on toxoplasmosis and leishmaniosis. Diseases caused by Trematoda, with emphasis on schistosomiasis and fascioliasis. Diseases caused by nematodes, with emphasis on toxocariasis, ancylostomiasis, filariasis, anisakidiasis. Tick-borne diseases: Lyme disease; basic information on rickettsiosis, ehrlichiosis.
Host-pathogen interactions. Infectious disease definitions and basic veterinary epidemiology concepts. Biosecurity basics. Bugs and diseases: a taxonomic overview of bacterial and viral etiological agents. The main infectious diseases of livestock and pets, with a focus on those of current relevance. One health: zoonoses, food-borne diseases, antibiotic resistance. Regulatory bodies and resources: WOAH-OIE, Italian Ministry of Health, IZS, Reference Centers. Biotechnological tools for veterinary infectious disease diagnosis and prevention: definitions, contexts, approaches, methods. Case studies on the development of innovative diagnostic tools. Laboratory activities on MALDI-TOF MS, pen-side diagnostics, immunoassay optimization.
PARASITIC DISEASES:
Parasites and their life cycles: an introduction. Basic principles and terms in evolutionary biology and ecology. Parasite biology and molecular biology: model protozoa and helminths. Basic principles and terms in parasitology. The animal phyla: their evolution and body plan. Parasite biology: Cestoda, with emphasis on Taenia spp. and Echinococcus spp. Pathogenesis, virulence and the evolution of host-symbiont interactions. Parasite biology: Nematoda, with emphasis on Trichinella spp, Ascaris spp, trichostrongylidae in ruminants, Strongyloides spp. Parasite biology: ticks and a general introduction to arthropods and arthropod vectors. The immunobiology of parasitic diseases. The global impact and importance of parasitic diseases. Diseases caused by protozoans, with emphasis on toxoplasmosis and leishmaniosis. Diseases caused by Trematoda, with emphasis on schistosomiasis and fascioliasis. Diseases caused by nematodes, with emphasis on toxocariasis, ancylostomiasis, filariasis, anisakidiasis. Tick-borne diseases: Lyme disease; basic information on rickettsiosis, ehrlichiosis.
Prerequisites for admission
The student is required to pass the exams of "General Microbiology" and "Veterinary Immunology and Microbiology". A basic understanding of the anatomy of mammals, immunology, and cellular and molecular biology is also suggested.
Teaching methods
INFECTIOUS DISEASES: class lectures and practical laboratory activities. Class lectures will be integrated with flipped classroom and instant polling activities. Practical activities will include an introduction to the biotechnological tools for the laboratory and field diagnosis of animal infectious diseases.
PARASITIC DISEASES: frontal lessons supported by projected material. The students are invited to actively participate in the discussion to improve their critical skills and rework the acquired concepts.
PARASITIC DISEASES: frontal lessons supported by projected material. The students are invited to actively participate in the discussion to improve their critical skills and rework the acquired concepts.
Teaching Resources
INFECTIOUS DISEASES: All the lectures are available online on the course website.
Supplementary material:
· C.L. Giles, J.F. Prescott, J.G. Songer, C.O. Thoen (2004): Pathogenesis of bacterial infections in animals. 3rd Ed., Blackwell Publishing
· D.C. Hirsh, N.J. MacLachlan, R.L. Walker (2004): Veterinary Microbiology. 2nd
PARASITIC DISEASES: Lessons loaded on the course website
De Carneri. Parassitologia generale e umana. Editors, C. Genchi, E. Pozio. Edition, 13. Publisher, CEA, 2003. ISBN, 8808086755, 9788808086754.
De Carneri - Parassitologia medica e diagnostica parassitologia. A cura di Olga Brandonisio, Fabrizio Bruschi, Claudio Genchi, Edoardo Pozio. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Distribuzione esclusiva Zanichelli 2012
Supplementary material:
· C.L. Giles, J.F. Prescott, J.G. Songer, C.O. Thoen (2004): Pathogenesis of bacterial infections in animals. 3rd Ed., Blackwell Publishing
· D.C. Hirsh, N.J. MacLachlan, R.L. Walker (2004): Veterinary Microbiology. 2nd
PARASITIC DISEASES: Lessons loaded on the course website
De Carneri. Parassitologia generale e umana. Editors, C. Genchi, E. Pozio. Edition, 13. Publisher, CEA, 2003. ISBN, 8808086755, 9788808086754.
De Carneri - Parassitologia medica e diagnostica parassitologia. A cura di Olga Brandonisio, Fabrizio Bruschi, Claudio Genchi, Edoardo Pozio. Casa Editrice Ambrosiana. Distribuzione esclusiva Zanichelli 2012
Assessment methods and Criteria
INFECTIOUS DISEASES: the exam consists of a written test with 30 multiple choice questions and in the presentation of an infectious disease.
PARASITIC DISEASES: the exam consists of a written test with 60 multiple choice questions.
PARASITIC DISEASES: the exam consists of a written test with 60 multiple choice questions.
VET/05 - INFECTIOUS DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS - University credits: 5
VET/06 - PARASITOLOGY AND ANIMAL PARASITIC DISEASES - University credits: 5
VET/06 - PARASITOLOGY AND ANIMAL PARASITIC DISEASES - University credits: 5
Practicals: 16 hours
Single bench laboratory practical: 16 hours
Lessons: 64 hours
Single bench laboratory practical: 16 hours
Lessons: 64 hours
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Every day by appointment
Department of veterinary Medicine and Animal Science