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Epidemiology

Course developer

Prior knowledge

Biol1014, Basics of Biometry

Vete3008, Immunology

VeteB013, Bacteriology, mycology, virology III

VeteB041, Pathology and Forensic Veterinary Medicine II

Course abstract

The epidemiology course looks at the health triad “animal – environment – human” from an animal and human health perspective. The eradication of diseases at animal group or herd level shall be based on adequate information on animal health status, management and disease risk, focusing on the collection, analysis, and interpretation of quantitative data. Epidemiology shall offer practical methods to be used by a veterinarian so that, when organizing measures to combat and prevent diseases, a specialist is able to assess the objective situation and correctly subordinate his or her decisions and actions.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

The knowledge of the general link between the causes of the disease, contributing, predisposing factors, and the spread of the disease in the animal population, understanding of the epidemic process, principles for combating infectious diseases and prevention methods – Test 1;
The skills to organize disinfection and to perform the control of the disinfection effectiveness, to analyze the level of spreading of the disease, by calculating the disease frequency indicators from available data, to cooperate professionally with colleagues and statisticians in carrying out epidemiological study, and the prevent an outbreak - practical work assignments, Test 2 and Test 3;
The competence to assess the health status in the animal group, analyze the dynamics of its changes, participate in the development of epidemiological or clinical studies, and to refer to a scientific publication which includes the infectious disease model – simulation assignment for the group work during laboratory works.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Introduction. Definition of epidemiology, historical background. Infection. Types of infection. Immunization – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
2. Epidemic process. The source of infection, reservoir. Allergic diagnostic. Application of needle-free injector – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
3. Infection transmission modes. Factors of animal susceptibility to infection. Modelling of disease outbreak (SIR model). – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
4. Measuring disease frequency – prevalence, incidence – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work; Test 1.
5. Performance of diagnostic tests – sensitivity (SE) and specificity (SP) – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
6. Animal group testing. Screening methods. Parallel testing, serial testing – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
7. Population sample. Sampling methods – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
8. Sample size for disease presence. The concept about disease freedom – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
9. Sample size for assessing of prevalence – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
10. Clinical trial, epidemiological aspects – control, randomization, masking – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
11. Observational studies. Risk factors of disease. Types of risk factors. Causality concept – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
12. Cohort studies. Cross-sectional studies. Relative risk, risk ratio, attributable risk, attributable fraction – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
13. Case-control studies. Odds ratio. Interpretation of confidence interval. Bias, recognition of confounding – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;
14. Economic impact of therapeutic and prophylactic measures – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work. Test 2.
15. Disinfection for the control of an epidemic process. Types of disinfection, tasks before disinfection at animal premises. Preliminary disinfection, final disinfection. – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work;

16. Chemical disinfectants. Bacteriological testing of the disinfection quality (performance) – 1 h lecture 2 h laboratory work; Test 3.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Simple pass.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Preparation for tests, analysis of one scientific article on the spread of infectious disease in the animal group. The objective of the independent work is to develop the competence of the student to analyze the epidemic process (the course of the outbreak of an infectious disease) using the terms and parameters of epidemiology (the basic reproduction number R0, the agent transfer index β, the recovery index γ), which is used in a stochastic model in order to evaluate the susceptible, infectious and immunized (vaccinated and recovered) animals to follow up the changes in the number of animals in the population.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Three tests during the semester. It is necessary to get at least 6 points in 10-point scale to to pass the test. Participate in all laboratory works. In case of justified delay, the subject should be prepared independently and three questions should be answered orally. Failed tests must be re-taken within two weeks.

Compulsory reading

1. Baltiņš M. Lietišķā epidemioloģija. Rīga: Zinātne, 2003. 354 lpp.
2. Dohoo I., Martin W., Stryhn H. Veterinary Epidemiologic Research. Charlottetown: VER Inc., 2009. 865 p.
3. Stevenson M. An Introduction to Veterinary Epidemiology. Palmerston North: EpiCentre IVABS, 2007. 100 p.

Further reading

1.Brila A. Infekcijas slimību epidemioloģija. Rīga: Nacionālais apgāds, 2009. 198 lpp.
2. Bonita R., Beaglehole R., Kjellström T. Basic epidemiology. 2nd edition. World health organization, 2006. 226 p.

Periodicals and other sources

Publiski pieejami epidemioloģisko aprēķinu kalkulatori internetā (tīklaprogrammas) FREECALC un OPENEPI: http://www.auswet.com.au; www.openepi.com

Notes

Compulsory course of the study programme Veterinary medicine.