This module will deliver a critical awareness of the global health challenges in infectious disease and advanced microbial diagnostics. The module will explore pathogenic disease models, transmission and epidemiological surveillance of clinically significant infection, both in the healthcare environment and the community setting. The module will also review the emergence, dissemination and burden of multidrug resistance in priority pathogens, national health polices in the control of antimicrobial resistance, and the chase and race of antibiotic consumption and development. The critical role of evidence-based practice and advanced diagnostics in the detection, screening, treatment, monitoring and management of clinical infection and disease will also be evaluated.
Healthcare-Associated infection:
Clinical significance, incidence, transmission and changing epidemiology of healthcare-associated infection including Lower respiratory, Bloodstream, Surgical Site, Gastrointestinal and Urinary tract infection.
Community-Associated infection:
Pathogenic models, incidence, transmission, trends and burden of infection of community-associated infection including SARs-CoV2, Tuberculosis, CF respiratory infection, STEC and Sexually transmitted Infection.
Multi-drug resistance:
Mechanism, acquisition, expression, emergence and spread of multi-, extensive- and pan-drug resistant World Health Organisation (WHO) priority pathogens including ST22 - MRSA -IV. E. faecium clade A1, E .coli ST 131, MDR K . pneumoniae ST 258, C. difficile 027, 078, P. aeruginosa ST235 and A. baumannii CC 92, EUCAST MIC and ECOFF distributions, EARS-Net surveillance and National antimicrobial resistance control policy and practice.
Antimicrobial consumption and development:
Activity and clinical application of current and new antimicrobial agents and emerging antimicrobial therapeutics.
Surveillance and epidemiological investigation:
National mandatory and enhanced voluntary surveillance, principles, applications and evaluation of MLVA and WGS as epidemiological typing tools.
Screening and Infection Prevention and Control:
Horizontal/vertical screening; principle and practice, Infection Prevention and Control; principle and practice, Antimicrobial stewardship; principle and practice.
Advanced Diagnostics:
Principles, application and critical evaluation of advanced microbial diagnostics including RT LAMP, Syndromic Panel-based assays, biosensors/aptamer-assays and WGS in in the detection, screening, treatment, monitoring and management of clinical infection.
UN SDGs
This module content addresses UN SDG 3 (3.3, 3.8, 3.d) Good Health and Well-Being and SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production.
Lectures, Workshops, Presentations
Students will receive formative feedback via a detailed performance rubrics for video mini-lectures.
| Module Content & Assessment | |
|---|---|
| Assessment Breakdown | % |
| Formal Examination | 60 |
| Other Assessment(s) | 40 |