QVE-20306 Veterinary Epidemiology and Economics

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

Dutch

Continuation courses:

QVE-30306 Quantitative Veterinary Epidemiology.

Contents:

This course is not about symptoms, prevention, therapy and economic effects of specific diseases. The following aspects are dealt with and illustrated with some diseases:
- health and disease, how to diagnose, and which organisations involved;
- types of disease, pathogen transmission, available preventive measures;
- types and design of epidemiological studies, analysis and interpretation;
- basic economic principles and methods used in decision making regarding animal health problems;
- design of disease eradication and/or prevention programmes.

Learning outcomes:

After the course students are able to:
- describe several aspects of animal health and disease;
- give examples of eradication, control and prevention of animal diseases;
- design basic epidemiological studies;
- calculate epidemiological parameters and interpret the outcomes;
- understand basic economic methods for decision making regarding animal health problems;
- understand eradication and/or prevention based on epidemiological and economic criteria.

Activities:

- lectures;
- class and take home assignments;
- PC-practicals;
- independent study.

Examination:

Written exam (in Dutch) with open and multiple choice questions, usually based on (parts of ) scientific papers in English.

Literature:

Course guide and schedule (all in Dutch) are available on first lecture.
Course book: Veterinary Epidemiology, 3rd ed. M. Thrusfield (2007); ISBN 978-1-405-15627-1.