Emergency Animal Diseases 3

This subject is not offered in 2014.

Approximately 112 hours per semester

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For the purposes of considering request for Reasonable Adjustments under the Disability Standards for Education (Cwth 2005), and Student Support and Engagement Policy, academic requirements for this subject are articulated in the Subject Overview, Learning Outcomes, Assessment and Generic Skills sections of this entry.

It is University policy to take all reasonable steps to minimise the impact of disability upon academic study, and reasonable adjustments will be made to enhance a student's participation in the University's programs. Students who feel their disability may impact on meeting the requirements of this subject are encouraged to discuss this matter with a Faculty Student Adviser and Student Equity and Disability Support: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/disability

This subject focuses on eradicable infectious diseases.

Within the past 50 years a number of previously endemic diseases have been successfully eradicated from a number of countries, including bovine tuberculosis (BTB), bovine brucellosis, contagious pleuropneumonia, rinderpest and rabies. Although similar general eradication strategies were applied (usually by vaccination and/or test and slaughter) each of these diseases posed distinct challenges when eradication strategies were implemented in different countries. Thus, for example, BTB was readily eradicated from Australia but due to a wildlife reservoir, not from New Zealand.

This module will use online lecture notes and study materials to provide students with an in-depth understanding of developing and implementing an animal disease eradication strategy. Accordingly, it will deepen the understanding gained from Modules 1 and 4, and expand on the understanding from Modules 5 and 7.

On completion of this subject, students will have gained:

• a comprehensive understanding of epidemiology and diagnosis of several important eradicable animal diseases: bovine tuberculosis (BTB), bovine brucellosis, contagious pleuropneumonia, rinderpest and rabies;
• an in-depth familiarity of the literature describing the events of some of the eradication campaigns of these diseases, including the pleuropneumonia and BTEC campaigns in Australia, the eradication of rabies from western Europe, and rinderpest from Africa and Asia; and
• a capability to make a critical evaluation of the management of animal disease eradication campaigns, including handling the difficult tail end of a campaign when political will may be flagging and all detections need to be treated as emergencies.

Students will be assessed for participation in weekly forum discussions, group assignment in week 5 and final written exam in week 9 and 10. Students will be required to arrange an appropriate venue (e.g. a nearby university) to sit this assessment under supervised examination conditions.

The assessment components of this subject are:

• Participation in online forum discussions (15%)
• Group assignment of 4000 words (25%)
• Written 2-hour final exam (60%)

Students will use a reading list of scientific articles from the current literature, which will be provided on-line.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

On completion of this subject, students should have developed their:

• ability to critically interpret the scientific literature describing historical animal disease eradication campaigns; and
• ability to read and write reports critically evaluating the planning and implementation of animal disease eradication programs.

Reliable internet access with at least a medium speed connection and a personal computer are essential for undertaking this online program. The content is accessed through your web browser. Microsoft Office™ and Adobe Acrobat Reader or equivalent software packages are necessary for assessment tasks, assignments and some class exercises.