Infectious Diseases: Preventing and Stopping Epidemics

Catalog description

What determines how a disease spreads in human populations? Biomedical scientists have greatly expanded our knowledge of the diseases caused by viruses, parasites, fungi or bacteria. Yet every year, epidemics of infectious diseases still cause large amounts of suffering, bereavement and economic loss throughout the world. Climate change, deforestation, and the globalization of economic activity might even accelerate the emergence of new infections and usher in an "era of pandemics." In this course, students will draw on literature from the biomedical and social sciences, as well as historical accounts of outbreaks, to understand the dynamics of contagion. They will learn the tools used by epidemiologists and public health specialists to prevent the emergence, limit the spread, or even eliminate infectious diseases. They will investigate the ethical, behavioral, and political obstacles that might limit the adoption of protective behaviors during epidemics. Students will engage in debates and research related to the current COVID-19 pandemic, as well as in case studies of diseases including smallpox, influenza, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and Ebola.