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Unit outline_

INFD3012: Infectious Diseases

Semester 2, 2022 [Normal day] - Remote

Infectious diseases occur as a result of interactions between a host and a microbial parasite. This unit of study will explain how infectious agents interact with human hosts at the molecular, cellular, individual patient and community levels to cause diseases and how the hosts attempt to combat these infections. The unit will be taught by the School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health with involvement of associated clinical and research experts who will contribute lectures and theme sessions on their own special interests. The unit will integrate lectures with clinical case studies and hands-on practical sessions to provide students with current knowledge of infectious diseases.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit Department of Medical Sciences
Credit points 6
Prerequisites
? 
BMED2404 or IMMU2101 or MEDS2004 or MIMI2X02 or IMMU2X11
Corequisites
? 
None
Prohibitions
? 
None
Assumed knowledge
? 

None

Available to study abroad and exchange students

Yes

Teaching staff

Coordinator Scott Stimpson, scott.stimpson@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s) Jamie Triccas, jamie.triccas@sydney.edu.au
Mainthan Palendira, umaimainthan.palendira@sydney.edu.au
Julianne Djordjevic, julianne.djordjevic@sydney.edu.au
John-Sebastian Eden, js.eden@sydney.edu.au
Megan Steain, megan.steain@sydney.edu.au
Scott Stimpson, scott.stimpson@sydney.edu.au
Type Description Weight Due Length
Final exam (Record+) Type B final exam Final Exam
Multiple choice and short answer questions
50% Formal exam period 2 hours
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO2 LO3
Presentation Case presentations
Clinical case presentation.
15% Multiple weeks 12 minutes with 3 minutes questions
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO6 LO3 LO2
Tutorial quiz quiz
Online open book without invigilation
20% Week 09
Due date: 05 Oct 2022 at 11:00

Closing date: 05 Oct 2022
50 minutes
Outcomes assessed: LO1 LO5 LO2
Assignment Practical report
Written assessment using report template
15% Week 13
Due date: 04 Nov 2022 at 10:00
no defined length/duration
Outcomes assessed: LO4 LO5 LO6
Type B final exam = Type B final exam ?

Assessment summary

  • Case presentations: Cases will be allocated in week 2. The group case presentations will involve the allocation of a group mark plus an individual mark to each student in the group, which will be added to provide each student's final mark. Thus, each student must speak during the oral presentations of cases to obtain an individual mark. Further, it is expected that each student will speak for approximately the same amount of time.

  • Mid-semester quiz: The mid-semester quiz will cover the lecture and clinical case material presented in the first 7 weeks of the semester.

  • Practical report: A short report is required for the experiments performed in weeks 9 to 12. In the report you will be required to detail the results of experiments and answer questions relating to gene expression analysis, vaccine development, and drug development.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2014 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name

Mark range

Description

High distinction

85 - 100

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an exceptional standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or schoo

Distinction

75 - 84

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a very high standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Credit

65 - 74

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at a good standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Pass

50 - 64

Awarded when you demonstrate the learning outcomes for the unit at an acceptable standard, as defined by grade descriptors or exemplars outlined by your faculty or school.

Fail

0 - 49

When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

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For more information see guide to grades.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

  • Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
  • After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

All assignments must be submitted by the due date and quizzes and exams attended when they are scheduled. Students are expected to manage their time and to prioritise tasks to meet deadlines. Assessment items submitted after the due date without an approved extension using a special consideration or special arrangement form or request will incur penalties. Failure to meet assessment deadlines will incur mark deductions of 5% of the maximum awardable mark available for every day past the due date (for electronic submissions, days late includes Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays). These deductions will continue for 10 calendar days, until the solutions for the assignment are released, or marked assignments are returned to other students. At that point the mark awarded will be zero. For example, on an assignment given a mark of 70/100, the penalty would be 5 marks if submitted up to 24 hours late, resulting in a final mark of 65/100. If the assignment is submitted 6 days late, the penalty would be 30 marks and the final mark would be 40/100. If the assignment is more than 10 days late, the final mark will be 0/100.

Academic integrity

The Current Student website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. The University expects students and staff to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

We use similarity detection software to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools

You may only use generative AI and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. The assessment instructions or unit outline will give guidance of the types of tools that are permitted and how the tools should be used.

Your final submitted work must be your own, original work. You must acknowledge any use of generative AI tools that have been used in the assessment, and any material that forms part of your submission must be appropriately referenced. For guidance on how to acknowledge the use of AI, please refer to the AI in Education Canvas site.

The unapproved use of these tools or unacknowledged use will be considered a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy and penalties may apply.

Studiosity is permitted unless otherwise indicated by the unit coordinator. The use of this service must be acknowledged in your submission as detailed on the Learning Hub’s Canvas page.

Outside assessment tasks, generative AI tools may be used to support your learning. The AI in Education Canvas site contains a number of productive ways that students are using AI to improve their learning.

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

WK Topic Learning activity Learning outcomes
Week 01 Course overview Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Tuberculosis and immune evasion Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
1. Introduction to practicals; 2. Selection of case presentations Workshop (3 hr) LO4 LO5
Week 02 Hepatitis virus and disease Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Syphilis and other STIs Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Clinical case session: Hepatitis Workshop (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 03 Pathogenic Escherichia coli and the urinary tract Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Pathogenesis of shigella Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Clinical case session: Sexually transmitted infections Workshop (3 hr) LO1 LO4 LO5
Week 04 Central nervous system infections Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
COVID-19: the virus Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 05 COVID-19: the immune response Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Fungi and clinical disease Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Week 06 Pathogenesis of fungi Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Parasites in the clinic Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Clinical case presentations Presentation (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6
Week 07 Malaria and the host Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Mid-semester question and answer Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2
Clinical case presentations Presentation (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6
Week 08 Antibiotic resistance and need the for new drugs Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO5
New approaches to drug design Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO5
Clinical case presentations Presentation (3 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO6
Week 09 Drug development focus: Tuberculosis Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO5
Mid-semester quiz Lecture (1 hr)  
Integrated practical 1. Analysis of E. coli3012 virulence factor expression Practical (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 10 Modern adjuvants for vaccine delivery Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO5
New vaccines for pandemic pathogens Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO5
Integrated practical 2. Drug discovery: sensitivity testing (high throughput screening); toxicity testing Practical (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 11 Immunotherapy for infectious diseases Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO5
Special Research Seminar I: Novel therapeutics approaches to disrupts biofilms and eradicate infections Lecture (1 hr) LO3 LO5
Integrated practical 3. Drug discovery: toxicity, MIC determination, in vivo efficacy Practical (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 12 Overview of pathogen genomics Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO5
Pathogen genomics in clinical and public health Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO5
Integrated practical 4. Vaccine development: measurement of IFN-g release (ELISPOT); determination of vaccine efficacy Practical (3 hr) LO3 LO4 LO5
Week 13 Special Research Seminar II: COVID Genomics Lecture (1 hr) LO2 LO3 LO5
End semester Q & A and course review Lecture (1 hr) LO1 LO2 LO3 LO4 LO5

Attendance and class requirements

Attendance: Students are expected to attend a minimum of 80% of timetabled activities for a unit of study. Thus, attendance at a minimum of 80% of all timetabled classes is compulsory for successful completion of the course. Attendance will be recorded. If you do not show sufficient cause for absence from any part of the course you may not be allowed to sit the final examination. Absences from scheduled practical, workshop or presentations sessions must be supported by appropriate documentation.

Attendance at the case presentations is compulsory even when you are not presenting.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Infectious Diseases: Pathogenesis, Prevention and Case Studies. Edited by Shetty et al. Wiley-Blackwell 2009. ISBN 9781405135436.

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. explain the major causes of infectious diseases in the general community and hospital environments, and the mechanisms associated with the disease process
  • LO2. describe how medically significant organisms can spread in the community
  • LO3. assess the measures that have been developed to control infectious agents and the conceptual basis of the control strategies
  • LO4. demonstrate practical dexterity in the most important technical procedures performed in the study of infectious diseases today
  • LO5. evaluate the major theoretical concepts involved in the development of these procedures
  • LO6. communicate effectively, demonstrate effective teamwork, and develop improved scientific written skills.

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1 Depth of disciplinary expertise

Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.

GQ2 Critical thinking and problem solving

Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.

GQ3 Oral and written communication

Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.

GQ4 Information and digital literacy

Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.

GQ5 Inventiveness

Generating novel ideas and solutions.

GQ6 Cultural competence

Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.

GQ7 Interdisciplinary effectiveness

Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.

GQ8 Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity

An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.

GQ9 Influence

Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes Graduate qualities
GQ1 GQ2 GQ3 GQ4 GQ5 GQ6 GQ7 GQ8 GQ9

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

No changes have been made since this unit was last offered

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.