Module description 

This module aims to provide an understanding of the important and common infections, and the diseases that they cause, in the population. Throughout the module, learning will adopt a population health approach and refer to the main components of the BSc Population Health programme (i.e. quantitative methods; social theory) as well as to public and individual health policy. Teaching will relate not only to UK infectious disease epidemiology but also to other global regions. You will cover a range of topics, including:

Basic principles of infection and immunity.
	Social, economic and structural changes as drivers of change in infectious disease.
	Spanish Flu 2018 to Coronavirus 2020: successes and challenges in response to epidemics/pandemics
	Sexual health and sexually transmitted diseases
	Vector-borne infections
	How climate, geography and environment affect infectious diseases in human populations.
	Public health interventions (e.g. behaviour/surveillance) to improve infection control.
	Vaccine-preventable diseases, vaccine policy and implementation.
	Antibiotics and antibiotic resistance. Infections that cause “non-communicable” diseases.
By the end of the module, you will be able to do the following: 

1. Define the terms used to describe infection and immunity in human populations.

2. Appraise mathematical modelling as an approach to infectious disease, and illustrate how it can be used in public health practice.

3. Describe recent epidemics and outbreaks and the national and international responses. Describe approaches to vaccination, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of each.

4. Compare and contrast the ways in which sexually transmitted infections differ in their population dynamics from other infections.

5. Define surveillance, and describe the ways in which surveillance is conducted in the UK.

6. Explain how climatic, environmental, societal, development and geographic factors affect infections, giving examples of interventions to manipulate these factors.

7. Outline the main drivers of, and challenges arising from, antibiotic resistance.

8. Appraise established theories and less well-established hypotheses of how infections may lead to chronic disease.

This is an intermediate module open to Year 2 students on the BSc Population Health Sciences programme. There is availability for UCL elective students from other departments. However, spaces are limited and are allocated on a ‘first come, first served’ basis on Portico. Teaching will take place in Term 1 in the form of taught lectures by scientists and clinicians actively researching in infectious diseases. Moreover, you will engage in group discussions (including e-learning discussion groups) in which you will critique scientific papers, discuss surveillance reports, public health policy documents etc. Additionally, there will be problem-based classes looking at interpretation of datasets and reports to demonstrate principles introduced in lectures.

Selected Reading List 

Mim’s Medical Microbiology (Eds: Goering et al)
	Medical Microbiology and Infection at a Glance (Gillespie & Bamford)
	Infectious Disease (Bannister, Begg & Gillespie)