BIOS E-72: Infectious Diseases in a World of Changing

Climate, Drug Resistance, and Vaccine Hesitancy

Course Overview and Contact Information

Course Overview
Semester and Year: Fall 2019
Day/Times: Thursday 8-10 PM
Format: On campus and Online

Instructor Contact Information

Name: Narges Dorratoltaj, PhD, MPH
Office/ Office hours: Tuesdays 6:00-7:30 PM
Email: ndorratoltaj@fas.harvard.edu

Course Description and Learning Objectives

Despite the availability of control measures, infectious diseases are emerging and re-emerging.
These outbreaks emphasize the importance of understanding the epidemiology of infectious
diseases through qualitative and quantitative methods. This course introduces the basics of
infectious disease epidemiology, disease surveillance methods, dynamics of transmission, and
qualitative and quantitative assessment of prevention and control measures. The epidemiology of
different diseases based on route of transmission (food-borne, water-borne, vector-borne, or air-
borne) along with common and recently (re)emerged infectious diseases (Influenza, Malaria,
Ebola, Zika, Measles, and antimicrobial resistance pathogens) are discussed. Finally, we explore
some quantitative techniques to understand the epidemiology and dynamics of infectious disease
outbreaks to help public health officials make better and more informed decisions. We consider
demographic, political, and social changes that have impact on population health.

After taking this course students will be able to

• Understand the main Epidemiological characteristics of the major infectious diseases.
• Understand how epidemiological characteristics of disease outbreaks can help to develop
and evaluate strategies to prevent epidemics transmission of infectious diseases.
• Develop appropriate methodologies to investigate the outbreak of emerging pathogens
and provide/consider control strategies through mathematical and economic modeling of
disease outbreaks.

Course Materials

Course Materials
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Theory and Practice; by Kenrad E. Nelson and Carolyn
Masters Williams, Third Edition
• Modeling Epidemics; by P. Farrington The Open University

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 • Modeling Infectious Diseases in Humans and Animals; by Matt J. Keeling & Pejman
Rohani
• Peer reviewed articles and reports will be introduced for each topic

Grading

Grading
This course includes reading, presentations, and extensive discussions during the class. Students
are expected to read the assigned readings prior to class and follow the news/World Health
Organization (WHO) website regarding the current situation of ongoing outbreaks and discuss
about them in the class.

0% Skills check
10% Class Participation
20% Assignments – Please submit assignments online on Canvas. Late submission of
assignments has penalty.
20% Midterm
30% Paper and presentation
20% Final

Graduate level students are expected to submit a systematic review paper to meet the course
requirements.

Expectations and Policies

Attendance
This class is highly focused on the discussions between the student and instructor, so
attendance is required for this class. We will discuss the current status and potential
upcoming situations of ongoing outbreaks in the class, which needs active engagement from
students (on campus and online) during the class.

Accessibility
The Extension School is committed to providing an accessible academic community. The
Accessibility Office offers a variety of accommodations and services to students with
documented disabilities. Please visit https://www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-
policies/resources/disability-services-accessibility for more information.

Academic Integrity/Honesty
You are responsible for understanding Harvard Extension School policies on academic
integrity (https://www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-policies/student-conduct/academic-
integrity) and how to use sources responsibly. Not knowing the rules, misunderstanding the
rules, running out of time, submitting the wrong draft, or being overwhelmed with multiple
demands are not acceptable excuses. There are no excuses for failure to uphold academic
integrity. To support your learning about academic citation rules, please visit the Harvard

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 Extension School Tips to Avoid Plagiarism (https://www.extension.harvard.edu/resources-
policies/resources/tips-avoid-plagiarism), where you'll find links to the Harvard Guide to
Using Sources and two free online 15-minute tutorials to test your knowledge of academic
citation policy. The tutorials are anonymous open-learning tools.

Course Outline and Schedule

Date Topic Readings Assignments

09/05/2019 Introduction to Infectious Disease Epidemiology Chapters 1 & 2
09/12/2019 Study Design Chapter 3
09/19/2019 Outbreak Epidemiology & Prevention Chapters 4 & 5
09/26/2019 Infectious disease transmission dynamics Chapter 6 & Modeling book Homework 1
10/03/2019 (Re)Emerging Infectious Diseases and vaccine Chapter 11 & 13
10/10/2019 Epidemiology and prevention of Influenza Chapter 15 Homework 2
10/17/2019 Midterm
10/24/2019 Measles Chapter 16
10/31/2019 Ebola Papers
11/07/2019 HIV/AIDS and Tuberculosis Chapters 18 & 22 Homework 3
11/14/2019 Vector-borne diseases and climate change Chapter 25
11/21/2019 Antimicrobial resistance Papers
11/28/2019 Thanksgiving
12/05/2019 Sexually transmitted diseases Chapter 24 Graduate
students’
paper
12/12/2019 Students’ presentations Case study
paper and
slides
12/19/2019 Final Exam

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