The topic will provide a basic understanding of the 'animal, environment and pathogen' concept. Students will be familiarized with the major causes of disease, including both non-infectious and infectious disease. The topic will also introduce the major types of pathogens responsible for infectious disease and the process of pathogenesis. The topic also aims to introduce the natural defenses mechanism in animals (including humans) and the evolution of the immune system. The importance of animal welfare, hygiene and quarantine control for preventing the spread of animal disease will be explained, along with artificial mechanisms for controlling disease in human medicine, aquaculture and agriculture. Hands-on practicals will facilitate the development of basic skills in disease diagnosis through examination of enteric parasites in scat samples, histological sections and blood pathology. Practicals will also expose students to the analysis of cell mediated immunity via the identification of vertebrate white blood cells, hemocyte density calculations and phagocytosis assays.
This topic aims to provide:
Timetable details for 2021 are no longer published.