Insects and Human Disease

Catalog description

This course is an introduction to the many interactions between insects, other arthropods and humans that result in disease, ranging from simple anxiety, phobias, discomfort and pain, to transmission of pathogenic organisms causing sickness and even death. Included will be an understanding of the special physical and chemical adaptations of insects that enable them to cause us harm. The major groups of insects, mites, ticks and related arthropods associated with human suffering and disease as well as an introduction to the diseases transmitted by them will be presented. Finally, the course will present information on how major outbreaks of disease transmitted by the insects have influenced human populations, demographics, warfare, religion, and societal structure throughout recorded history.