credits: 3
This course is designed to provide students with a basic understanding of protozoan and metazoan parasites, focusing on the biology and epidemiology of parasitic diseases and on the parasite-host association. Parasites are explored in the context of transmission, associated disease, diagnosis and treatment options; and environmental, cultural, and socioeconomic drivers of disease epidemiology. The intent of this course is for students to see science as a tool for understanding the world and solving problems. Importantly, the course is not designed to promote skills to become a practicing parasitologist but rather aims to facilitate broad exposure to infectious disease dynamics to foster more informed global citizens—using parasitic diseases as examples. As a result, this course will teach students how to use fundamental biological principles to think critically about challenges facing their society and the world. CFAN 3334 is a Global Health course. It is anticipated that students will obtain an awareness of the importance and complexity of these diseases, and how they impact the majority of the world’s population beyond the United States, with a special focus on the equatorial tropics. Students in this course will learn about the biologically, sociologically, and ethically complex issues that create conditions for parasitic diseases to thrive.