The Institute of Medicine issued two major reports that identified the “factors of emergence” of emerging infectious disease. Answer one of the following two questions. Make sure that you use both readings and class session materials in answering these questions
a) Apply the factors of emergence from either of the reports to a disease of your choice, to explain the emergence/re-emergence of that disease.
b) Dr. Mayer argues that most of the factors are social rather than biological. Support or refute this argument, using specific examples.
2.
Cross-species transmission, or “spillover”, is a significant cause of new disease in humans. Describe the ecological and social conditions that led to this disease’s introduction into the human population, using as an example either (pick only one):
a) Ebola,
or,
b) HIV.
3.
Antibiotic/antimicrobial resistance is a significant threat to human and animal health (pick one question).
Describe how antibiotic resistance is accidentally encouraged in different human and animal environments (use specific examples). How can we change each of these behaviors to discourage the acceleration of antimicrobial resistance?
Where does the majority of antimicrobial resistance appear to come from? Describe specific industries or scenarios that allow resistance to develop, and explain the chain of events that may result in antimicrobial resistant infections in human and animal populations.