VCM 509: Biology of Veterinary Pathogens

3 credit hours | IAHS Certificate | Fall (2nd 8 weeks)

Overview

The course includes an overview of relevant veterinary microbiology and the interaction between microbes and their hosts. The course will build upon knowledge acquired in VCM 506, and relevant physiology pertaining to disease prevalence, prevention, and pathology will be discussed. The host immune system will be highlighted, and important bacteria, viruses and fungi will be studied. Current and emerging pathogens, and the relevance of potential zoonotic spillovers into human populations will be discussion points. Discussion boards will be posted each week to integrate concepts and drive discussion based on the weekly topic.

Preview the syllabus here.

Course Goal

Students will have the foundational knowledge in anatomy and physiology, with an introduction to case-based thinking to apply when assessing herd health at the systems level as required in approved courses for the Master of Veterinary Science degree and the Animal Health Science Graduate Certificate.

What You'll Learn

Identify host defenses and summarize similarities and differences between body systems.
Identify and explain tissue tropism and disease patterns of different veterinary pathogens.
Predict which body systems will be targeted by pathogens, comparing primary and secondary pathological insults.