Emerging Diseases4. Module 4: Spillover (November 9December 8)
Main Points and Concepts
The 1918 influenza pandemic was the single most devastating disease outbreak in human
history.
The so-called “Swine Flu” of 1976 awakened fears of a new pandemic and provoked
overreaction.
The emergence of Legionnaire’s Disease heightened the sense of crisis.
Global AIDS is a zoonosis caused by HIV-1, a virus that “jumped” to humans early in the 20th Century
and later spread around the world.
The emergence of AIDS in the United States was not initially recognized as a serious health threat.
The combined emergence of Legionnaire’s, Swine Flu and AIDS brought an end to the age of optimism
and signaled a new health transition.
Learning goals
Students will be able to define and explain the basic terms and concepts associated with
influenza, Legionnaire’s Disease, HIV and AIDS.
Students will be able to describe and explain antigenic shift and drift as mechanisms of
influenza virus evolution.
Students will be able to use facts and examples to explain the potential threat of a new
pandemic strain of influenza.
Students will be able to explain the general mechanism of HIV pathogenesis and also
genetic resistance to HIV infection.
Students will be able to outline and explain the likely epidemiological events that led to
the AIDS pandemic.
Students will be able to describe the health transition that ended the Age of Optimism and
began our more modern understanding of relationships with pathogens.
Readings
The Coming Plague: Ch. 6 The American Bicentennial, Ch. 10 Distant Thunder and Ch. 11
Hatari pp. 281-334 only.
Non-textbook Supplemental Reading of your choice: you must complete this reading and
the accompanying writing assignment by the deadline given in the assignment sheet.
Lectures
Lecture Powerpoint sets #11, 12 and #13 on influenza, Legionnaire’s Disease and HIV/AIDS.
Video Assignment:
America’s Forgotten Pandemic
The Assignment Sheet for this video is posted on the course web site.
We may also have an opportunity to view a video on the early days of the HIV-1 pandemic.
Writing assignments for Module 4: The video assignment summary and reactionsee the Assignment Sheet.
Exam
Exam 4 on Module 4 is on Tuesday December 8 at 12:30 in Room 6.