Viruses and Human Disease

Catalog description

This course will cover basic understanding of virus biology, how viruses can cause human diseases, and the impact of viral epidemics on human society. These topics will be discussed in terms of scientific and medical studies, public health policy, social and global impacts, and ethical issues. Several major virus-caused human pandemics will be reviewed. Discussions will include how national and international governments, the health care industry, and the general public have responded to pandemics. As an exercise to apply the lessons learned from viral pandemics in the past, during the course of the semester the class will "design" a novel virus and then discuss the approaches and resources that will be necessary to contain and combat any resulting pandemic. Counts as a Communication Intensive course. Counts as a Understanding Global Perspectives course. Prereq: Academic Inquiry Seminar (AIQS).