B6271 - Climate change and global warming: emerging, re-emerging and transboundary diseases

Learning outcomes

Students will learn that health is a precondition, an outcome and an indicator of sustainable development. The course will provide basic knowledge on the main health-related issues at the human/animal/environment interfaces and will aim to provide an understanding of the need for an integrated, cross-sectoral approach to achieving the SDGs of the 2030 Agenda.
The elective aims to acquaint students with the concepts of unique health and circular health and the activities of institutions working in this field globally. Students will acquire basic knowledge on health emergencies in socio-ecological systems with special reference to emerging and re-emerging zoonoses and neglected diseases. By the end of the course, students will have acquired knowledge on the influence of climate change on the emergence of infections transmissible to humans, with a particular focus on vector-borne infections and environmental matrices. They will have learnt how water represents an irreplaceable source of life for mankind, but can become a source of infections and diseases caused by groundwater pollution or the cause of wars and consequent forced migrations.
Finally, students will have gained knowledge of the impact of urbanisation on the development and emergence of infectious diseases and antimicrobial resistance. The student will also acquire knowledge on pandemic definition, prevention and preparedness from a global perspective.

Course contents

Ecologic changes (e.g biodiversity loss and community relocation), change in vectors’ biology, epidemiology changes and sociologic changes (e.g migration/travel, nutrition, sanitation, local economies) are the basis for increased diseases burden. This module will address in particular the increased incidence of infectious diseases due to climate change.

1. Drivers of biodiversity loss (e.g. overexploitation of the resources, climate change, invasive species, diseases, pollution).

2. Integrating health and biodiversity: strategies and tools.

3. Spread of tropical diseases outside the conventional locations.

4. Migrations and global health.

Readings/Bibliography

Links for background required reading and slides will be provided and will be available as repository material on Virtuale website

Teaching methods

During classes, the hot topics will be discussed with the students

Assessment methods

Evaluation of a case study to assess students' critical thinking, graded as PASS or FAIL.

Teaching tools

Power point presentations, videos, online resources

Office hours

See the website of Antonella Marangoni