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91330 Epidemiology and Public Health Microbiology

Warning: The information on this page is indicative. The subject outline for a particular semester, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.

UTS: Science: Medical and Molecular Biosciences
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks

Requisite(s): 91314 General Microbiology

Handbook description

This subject covers the following topics: history of understanding of disease causation and of public health microbiology; basic epidemiological principles; mathematical formulation of epidemics; measures of disease frequency (rates and risk factors); sociological aspects; the public health laboratory environment; food, water and airborne diseases; exotic and notifiable diseases; zoonoses; application of bacterial enumeration and identification techniques to the examination of water and food; epidemiological tracing methods; biotyping; serotyping; bacteriophage typing; molecular typing; control measures and interventions; hygiene; sanitation; disinfection; sterilisation; vaccines, vaccination procedures and vaccination programs.

Subject objectives/outcomes

At the completion of this subject students are expected to be able to:

  1. Understand epidemiological principles as pertaining to infection.
  2. Understand basic statistics pertinent to epidemiology (both descriptive and analytical)
  3. Have knowledge of the mechanisms of pathogenesis possessed by bacterial, viral and fungal pathogens
  4. Have knowledge of infection – its features, course, outcomes, consequences and the organisms responsible
  5. Have a knowledge of the level of infection generally in Australia, and the reasons why
  6. Have knowledge of measures against infection – interventions against transmission, treatment, and interventions that minimize host susceptibility
  7. Have the ability to analyze transmission and infection outbreaks, focussing inter alia on risk factors, temporal sequences and associations, laboratory and questionnaire investigations, statistical associations, and ascertainment of what happened, when and why
  8. Understand the strengths and limitations of methodologies used in investigating infection outbreaks, and the efficacy of interventions
  9. Understand the role and operations of public health instrumentalities, both laboratory and otherwise

Contribution to course aims and graduate attributes

EPHM is a stage 4 subject in the Biomedical Science degree which builds on General Microbiology and complements Parasitology and Clinical Bacteriology in the 3rd year of the Biomedical Science degree.

Students will obtain disciplinary knowledge from lectures, tutorials in practical sessions, a tutorial in tutorial week and their own library work. These are assessed in mini-tests and a final exam. A thinking, enquiry-oriented approach is fostered in lectures and pracs by frequent informal Q & A sessions which encourage students to use their facts to infer relationships and come to understandings and interpretations based on these facts what they signify. Similarly, an enquiry-based approach is encouraged in Q&As that give events and ask why and how these came about,

Bench-skills in microbiology are an important element of the disciplinary knowledge imparted in EPHM during twice-weekly practicals. The subject lifts skills in being organized at the bench, in aseptic bench manipulations, inoculations, dilutions, plate and rapid microbiological test interpretation, and the set-up and interpretation of phenotypic identification methods. Proper and safe operation in a microbiology laboratory is stressed throughout by instruction and policing. Instruction and demonstrations are given of specific bench skills. Interpretative bench skills and disciplinary knowledge are tested in a practical exam.

Group skills – students work in groups in practicals to lift interaction and group collaborative skills, a necessary element of a professional skillset. Presentation skills – student groups verbally present results to class to lift oral communication skills and reduce presentation anxiety.

Writing skills, numerical literacy – students hone these professional skills via practical reports and contributing to class results. The practical reports also necessitate an enquiry-oriented seeking out of information and its use in the interpretation of practical case-studies. Mini-test questions also probe for those with poor numerical literacy. Remedial calculation tuition is given to those who can't calculate.

Generic scientific professional skills – the subject contributes to improving generic scientific skills in other areas such as – calculation and statistics, experimental design (by example from practicals), understanding laboratory assays (their design, scope and limitations, control and QC, and threshold detection limits – again from practical and post-practical tutorials). Abilities in these areas are assessed in mini-tests, practical reports and exams.

Career opportunities in Public Health are presented to students in the subject, so that they are aware of how such professionals serve and are engaged with the needs of society.

Teaching and learning strategies

• Lectures – 2 hours weekly
• Practicals –2 practicals a week (4 hours). Tutorial on each practical upon its completion.
• Tutorial in tutorial week on revision and topics like seroepidemiology and actual infection transmission examples to bring the topic to life.
• UTSonline is used to distribute lecture downloads and other content guides such as group data for practical reports, and for email contact with enrolled students.
 

Assessment

Assessment Item 1: Practical Report

Objective(s):

Intelligently analyze and report on the nominated practicals. Use articulate and clear English to report and explain your findings and conclusions. A guide to writing scientific papers and reports appears in the practical manual.
Weighting: 20% each
Criteria:

Reports are marked on their completeness, care and accuracy in preparation, adherence to guidelines on report writing, use of the literature to place the work in perspective, and especially on the analysis, thinking and reasoning demonstrated in the report. They require disciplinary knowledge and an enquiry-based investigation of the evidence and the literature as well as an analysis of the circumstances of the nominated case or outbreak study. NB: All submitted papers and where applicable, all Online contributions making use of published materials, should be properly referenced and with a properly completed bibliography. Satisfactory mastery of professional skills is inherent in this assessment.

Assessment Item 2: Mini-tests

Objective(s):

To demonstrate understanding of disciplinary knowledge and attendance at recent lectures and practicals. To act as a check that students are understanding content and keeping up. Some Qs require enquiry-based analysis and inference of knowledge from facts.
Weighting: 7.5% each (2 mini-tests)
Criteria:

Disciplinary knowledge & enquirey-based approach will be assessed via comprehensive answers (or calculations) to the questions asked.

Assessment Item 3: Practical Examination

Objective(s):

To demonstrate disciplinary knowledge and the ability to analyse laboratory findings to demonstrate an understanding of the laboratory component of the subject.
Weighting: 20%
Criteria:

Correct and comprehensive answers (or calculations) to the questions asked. Qs involve elements of disciplinary knowledge, as well as analytical and professional attributes to meaningfully interpret the laboratory findings, and establish their significance to a case study, or outbreak scenario.

Assessment Item 4: Final Examination

Objective(s):

To assess the understanding and knowledge possessed by students of all subject material and content. Lecture and practical content will be examined. Material covered in practical reports may also be examined. The final brings together questions to examine the numerous disciplinary knowledge, and professional and analytical skills fostered in EPHM.
Weighting: 45%
Criteria:

Correct and comprehensive answers (or calculations) to the questions asked test both disciplinary knowledge and an enquiry-oriented approach to this subject.

Minimum requirements

Student must obtain at least 40% of the marks available for the final examination in order to pass this subject. If 40% is not reached, an X grade fail may be awarded for the subject, irrespective of an overall mark greater than 50.

Students are expected to attend all lectures and practical sessions.

Required texts

To date, no one text suffices for EPHM. Students are recommended to read widely in the subject, as all texts on epidemiology and clinical microbiology will have information pertinent to an understanding of the epidemiology of infection.

If you are interested in Australian infectious disease epidemiology, good resources are:

Communicable Diseases Intelligence (Comm. Dept. Health and Aging):

https://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/cda-pubs-cdi-cdiintro.htm

The NSW Ministry of Health "Public Health Bulletin" serves the NSW public health community:

https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/publichealth/phb/

Recommended texts

Hocking, A.D. et al. Foodborne Microorganisms of Public Health Significance (6th ed). Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST -- NSW Branch) Food Microbiology Group, Sydney, 2003.

This text is a specialist publication for the food industry, and is invaluable on the epidemiology, investigation and prevention of food-borne disease. It is published by the Australian Institute of Food Science and Technology (AIFST).

References

Australia’s Health 2012. Aust. Institute Health Welfare, Canberra. Check library catalogue -- hard copy ordered and may be link to electronic version.

McIver CJ (ed.) A Compendium of Laboratory Diagnostic Methods for common and unusual Enteric Pathogens – an Australian Perspective. Aust Soc Microbiology., Melbourne 2005. (616.904 MCLV)

Bailey, N.J. Mathematical Theory of Infectious Diseases, and its applications (2nd ed). Griffin, London (1975). (614.401/1 CR)

Barrow, G.I. and Feltham, R.K.A. Cowan and Steele's Manual for the Identification of Medical Bacteria (3rd ed). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge (1993).(616.014 COWA)

Hobbs, B.C. and Roberts, R.J. Food Poisoning and Food Hygiene (6th ed). Edward Arnold, London (1993). (614.31 CR & 7 day)

Mausner, J.S. and Kramer, S. Epidemiology – An Introductory Text (2nd ed). W.B. Saunders, Philadelphia (1985).(614.4/30 CR & 7 day)

MacFaddin, Jean. Biochemical tests for identification of medical bacteria. Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Philadelphia (2000) (616.014028 MACF)

Morton, R.F., Hebel, J.R. and McCarter, R.J: A Study Guide to Epidemiology and Biostatistics (4th ed). Aspen, Gaithersburg, Maryland (1996). (614.4 MORT CR)

Varnam, A.H. and Evans, M.G. Foodbourne Pathogens – An Illustrated Text. Wolfe/Mosby Yearbook, St. Louis (1991).(576.163 VARN)

Glantz, Stanton. Primer of biostatistics (5ed). McGraw-Hill NY (2002).(610.72 GLAN (ed.5))

Gordis, Leon. Epidemiology (4Ed). Saunders/Elsevier (2009).(614.4GORD)

Communicable disease epidemiology and control : a global perspective / Roger Webber (2005; 614.44 WEBB 2ed)

Other resources

Centers for Disease Control – Surveillance USA (MMWR -- Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report):

http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/

Communicable Disease Intelligence (Australia -- very valuable):

http://www6.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/cda-pubs-cdi-cdiintro.htm

Promed Mail worldwide infection and outbreak surveillance (an immensely useful resource for infection epidemiology):

http://www.promedmail.org/