Download Short Paper on a Specific Disease

WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY
PROPOSAL FOR NEW COURSES
Department ____________BIOLOGY______________________________________
Date ______3/10/04_______________
___BIOL 109__________
Course No.
____Microbes and Society_______________________________ ____3______
Course Name
Credits
This proposal is for a(n)
___X___ Undergraduate Course
Applies to:
Studies*
______ Major
______ Graduate Course
______ Minor
_____ Required
_____ Elective
___X___ University
_____ Required
_____ Elective
Prerequisites
________NONE______________________________________________________________________________
Grading method ___X___ Grade only
______ P/NC only
______ Grade and P/NC Option
Frequency of offering ___yearly_____________________
*For University Studies Program course approval, the form Proposal for University Studies Courses must also be
completed. submitted according to the instructions on that form.
Provide the following information (attach materials to this proposal):
A.
Course Description
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
B.
Rationale
1.
2.
3.
C.
Statement of the major focus and objectives of the course.
Specify how this new course contributes to the departmental curriculum.
Indicate any course(s) which may be dropped if this course is approved.
Impact of this Course on other Departments, Programs, Majors, or Minors
1.
2.
D.
Catalog description.
Course outline of the major topics and subtopics (minimum of two-level outline).
Basic instructional plan and methods.
Course requirements (papers, lab work, projects, etc.) and means of evaluation.
Course materials (textbook(s), articles, etc.).
List of references.
Does this course increase or decrease the total credits required by a major or minor of any other department?
If so, which department(s)?
List the departments, if any, which have been consulted about this proposal.
University Studies Course Proposals
The form Proposal for University Studies Course must also be completed and submitted according to the
instructions on that form.
Attach a Financial and Staffing Data Sheet.
Attach an Approval Form.
Department Contact Person for this Proposal:
_David W. Essar________________________ ___457-5272_____
Name (please print)
Phone
[email protected]_______________
e-mail address
WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY
APPROVAL FORM
Routing form for new and revised courses and programs.
Course or Program______BIOL 109, Microbes and Society____
Department Recommendation
_________________________________
Department Chair
________________
Date
Dean’s Recommendation _____ Approved
_________________________________
Dean of College
A2C2 Recommendation
For:
_____ Disapproved
________________
Date
_____ Approved
_____ Major
_____ Disapproved
_____ Minor
_________________________________
Chair of A2C2
________________
Date
Graduate Council Recommendation
(if applicable)
_____ Approved
_________________________________
Chair of Graduate Council
________________
Date
_________________________________
Director of Graduate Studies
________________
Date
Faculty Senate Recommendation
_____ Approved
_________________________________
President of Faculty Senate
_____ Disapproved
_____ Disapproved
________________
Date
Academic Vice President Recommendation _____ Approved
________________________________
Academic Vice President
Decision of President
_____ Approved
_________________________________
President
Please forward to Registrar.
____________________________________________
e-mail address
_____ Disapproved
________________
Date
_____ Disapproved
________________
Date
A. Course Description
1. Catalog description: Microbes and Society - 3 S.H. An exploration of the microbial world
and how that world influences life on earth. Through lectures, assigned readings, Internet
explorations, videotapes, writing assignments, and discussions the power and influence of
selected microorganisms on history, medicine, economics, the environment, demography, the
arts, and human lives will be examined. Grade only. Offered yearly.
2. Statement of the major focus and objectives of the course: Students in BIOL 109 will
explore the world of microorganisms and have the opportunity to learn how that world has
influenced our planet as well as our human lives. Through lectures, assigned readings, Internet
explorations, videotapes, writing assignments, and discussions the course will explore the power
of selected microorganisms and how this power has influenced history, medicine, economics, the
environment, demography, the arts, and, of course, individual human lives. BIOL 109 is a
University Studies Course (Unity and Diversity: Science and Social Policy) designed for biology
nonmajors. There will be reading assignments for each class period, and five writing assignments
which will be part of the course evaluation criteria. It is expected that students will attend and
actively participate in all class sessions. In class, the student will encounter lecture, collaborative
and cooperative learning activities, worksheets, discussions, videos, demonstrations, and other
activities designed to provide the biology content and the study skills necessary to become more
scientifically literate. Participation in the class will be part of the evaluation for the course. In
addition, there will be a final comprehensive exam, as well as four hourly exams.
Microbes and Society, Biology 109 has been specifically designed to ensure that the students
will:
! understand the scientific foundation of the selected topic
! understand the social, ethical, historical and political implications associated with the topic,
! understand and articulate the need to integrate issues of science with social policy,
! evaluate the various policy options relevant to the social dilemmas posed by the science, and
! articulate, choose among, and defend various policy and/or scientific options to cope with the
challenges created.
In addition to the above general objectives, successful students in Microbes and Society will be
able to:
! describe how microorganisms positively and negatively affect society, the environment, and
individual human lives,
! list and describe the various infectious diseases that can affect humans and society,
! list ways infectious diseases can be treated and, more importantly, prevented, and
! demonstrate how a knowledge base in biology and microbiology can lead to more informed
scientific decision making, especially decisions that are morally or ethically based.
3. Course Outline:
I. The Microbial World
A. Why Microbes Matter
1. Down on the Farm
2. In the Industrial Plant
3. At the Hub of Biotechnology
4. Food Microbiology
5. In the Environment
6. In the Pharmaceutical Lab
B. Video – The Microbial Universe
C. The Roots of Microbiology
1. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
2. Louis Pasteur
3. Robert Koch
4. The Golden Age of Microbiology
5. Into the Twentieth Century
6. Women of Microbiology
D. The Microbes
1. Bacteria
2. Viruses
3. Protozoa
4. Algae
5. Fungi
6. Video – The Unity of Living Systems
E. GERMS….What are they, anyway?
1. What the heck is Microbiology?
http://people.ku.edu/~jbrown/whatmicro.html
2. What are Microbes?
http://www.microbe.org/microbes/mysteries.asp
3. What the heck is a virus?
http://people.ku.edu/~jbrown/virus.html
4. Short Paper on a Specific Disease
II. Microbes in Perspective
A. Microbes in the Biosphere
1. Classification
2. Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
3. The Five Kingdoms
4. The Three Domains
5. Video – Microbial Evolution
B. Naming and Measuring Microbes
1. Binomial and Common Names
2. Microbial Measurements
C. Video – Microbial Diversity
III. Bacteria: The First Microbes
A. Bacterial Structure and Physiology
1. General Morphology
2. Staining Procedures
3. Surface Structures
4. Cytoplasmic Structures
5. Bacterial Reproduction
6. Bacterial Growth
B. Common Bacteria
1. Archaebacteria
2. Photosynthetic Bacteria
3. Heterotrophic Eubacteria
4. Spiral and Filamentous Bacteria
5. Gliding and Sheathed Bacteria
6. Predatory and Other Bacteria
7. Submicroscopic Bacteria
8. Bacterial Pathogens
IV. Viruses
A. The Discovery and Structure of Viruses
B. Viral Replication
1. Viral Replication and Disease
2. Defense against Viruses
3. Viral Vaccines
4. Viruses as Research Tools
5. Viroids and Prions
C. Viruses and Cancer
D. Video – The Coming Plague – The Virus Hunters
V. Protists
A. The Protozoa
1. Amoebas
2. Flagellates
3. Ciliates
4. Sporozoa
B. Other Protists
C. Irish Potato Famine
VI. Fungi
A. Classification, Structure, and Growth of Fungi
B. Divisions of Fungi
1. Zygomycota
a. Rhizopus stolonifer –common black breadmold
b. Sake
c. Cortisone
2. Ascomycota
a. Penicillium
b. Aspergillus
c. Claviceps purpurae
d. A Fungus and the French Revolution
3. Basidomycota
a. Mushrooms
b. Rust and Smut Diseases
4. Deuteromycota
C. Beneficial and Harmful Fungi
1. Yeasts
2. Lichens
3. Mycorrhizae
4. Fungi and Human Diseases
VII. Growth and Metabolism
A. Video – Metabolism
B. Microbial Growth
1. Population Growth – The Growth Curve
2. Water and Temperature
3. Oxygen and Acidity
4. Other Factors
VIII. Microbial Genetics: New Genes for Germs
A. Video – Genetic Tranfer
B. Gene Recombinations
1. Conjugation
2. Transduction
3. Transformation
IX. Controlling Microbes
A. Video – Microbial Control
B. Physical Methods of Control
1. Heat Methods
2. Radiation
3. Drying
4. Filtration
C. Chemical Methods of Control
1. General Principles
2. Alcohols and Aldehydes
3. Halogens and Heavy Metals
4. Detergents and Phenols
5. Ethylene Oxide
D. Antibiotics
1. The First Antibacterials
2. The Development of Penicillin
-
World War II & the Miracle of Penicillin
http://home.att.net/~steinert/wwii.htm
3. Penicillins
4. Cephalosporins and Aminoglycosides
5. Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics
6. Other Antibiotics
7. Antiviral and Antifungal Antibiotics
8. Antibiotic Resistance
a. The Challenge of antibiotic resistance
http://www.health.fgov.be/WHI3/periodical/months/wwhv2n5tekst/WWH2306983.htm
b. Antimicrobial resistance from the USDA Perspective
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/speeches/2000/cw_antirest.htm
c. Antimicrobial Resistance Homepage –CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/
9. Video – The Coming Plague: Revenge of the Microbes: Antibiotic Resistance
E. Antimicrobial Assignment – Triclosan
1. The Dirt on Antibacterial Soaps
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/hl/sp/home/alert09192000.html
2. Groceries Trip Triclosan Switch
http://www.nature.com/nsu/010531/010531-1.html
3. Triclosan – Good or Bad?
http://www.lindachae.com/triclosan.htm
X. Microbes and Food
A. A Menu of Microbial Delights
B. Food Preservation and Safety
1. Food spoilage
2. Food Preservation
3. Preventing Foodborne Disease
XI. Microbes and Industry
A. Industrial Enzymes
B. Organic Acids and Vitamins
C. Other Microbial Products
D. Antibiotics
XII. Microbes and Agriculture
A. Microbes on the Farm
1. Nitrogen Fixation
2. Ruminants
3. At the Dairy
B. Biotechnology on the Farm
1. Bacterial Insecticides
2. Viral and Fungal Insecticides
XIII. Microbes and the Environment – No Microbes, No Life
A. Video – Microbial Ecology
B. The Cycles of Nature
1. The Carbon Cycle
2. The Sulfur Cycle
3. The Nitrogen Cycle
4. The Oxygen Cycle
5. The Phosphorus Cycle
C. Preserving the Environment
1. Sanitary and Waste Facilities
2. Bioremediation
3. Water Treatment
XIV. Disease and Resistance
A. Video – Microbial Interactions
B. The Host – Parasite Relationship
1. Concepts of Infectious Disease
2. The Establishment of Disease
C. Video – Human Defenses
D. Nonspecific Resistance to Disease
1. Mechanical Barriers
2. Chemical Barriers
E. Specific Resistance to Disease –Immunity and the Immune System
XV. Travel Report Assignment
A. Country Groups
B. Internet Resources
C. Questions to Address
1. What diseases are endemic or currently epidemic?
2. What immunizations should you receive before traveling there?
3. What medicines should you take along?
4. Can you drink the water there? Eat fresh vegetables? Swim in the local waters?
5. Trust the local medical personnel?
D. Other Sources
XVI. Video – Microbes and Human Disease
XVII. Viral Diseases of Humans
A. Viral Diseases of the Skin
1. Herpes Simplex
2. Chickenpox
3. Measles (Rubeola)
4. German Measles (Rubella)
5. Fifth Disease (Erythema Infectiosum)
6. Mumps
7. Smallpox – Germ Warfare and Bioterrorism
B. Viral Diseases of the Respiratory Tract – Influenza and Colds
C. Viral Diseases of the Nervous system
1. Rabies
2. Polio
3. Prions and Mad Cow Disease
D. Viral Diseases of the Visceral Organs
1. Infectious Mononucleosis
2. Hepatitis A, B, & C
3. Viral Gastroenteritis
4. Hantavirus
5. Cytomegalovirus
6. HIV and AIDS
E. Video – The Coming Plague: AIDS: The Price of Passion
XVIII. Human Disease Assignments
A. STD Report Assignment
B. Newspaper Project on Emerging Diseases
XIX. Bacterial Diseases of Humans
A. Airborne Bacterial Diseases
1. Streptococcal Diseases
2. Diptheria
3. Pertussis
4. Bacterial Meningitis
5. Tuberculosis
6. Legionnaire’s Disease
7. Bacterial Pneumonia
8. Other Respiratory Diseases
B. Foodborne and Waterborne Bacterial Diseases
1. Botulism
2. Salmonellosis
3. Staphylococcal Food Poisoning
4. E. coli Diarrheas
5. Peptic Ulcer Disease
6. Campylobacteriosis
7. Listeriosis
8. Other Intestinal Diseases
C. Soilborne Bacterial Diseases
1. Anthrax
2. Tetanus
3. Gas Gangrene
D. Arthropodborne Bacterial Diseases
1. Plague – The Black Death
2. Tularemia
3. Lyme Disease
4. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
E. Sexually Transmitted Diseases
1. Syphilis
2. Gonorrhea
3. Chlamydia
4. Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases
F. Contact and Miscellaneous Bacterial Diseases
G. Video - The Coming Plague – A World Out of Balance: Emerging Diseases
4. Statement of the basic instructional plan: This is a lecture course to be placed in the
Science and Social policy category within the Unity and Diversity section of the WSU University
Studies Program. This course=s instructional plan will include activities which promote
students= abilities to meet the five outcomes in this category. There will be reading assignments
for each class period, and five writing assignments that will be part of the course evaluation
criteria. In this course various instructional methods will be used: lecture, collaborative and
cooperative learning activities, worksheets, discussions, videos, demonstrations, and other
activities designed to provide the student with the biology content and the study skills necessary
to become more scientifically literate. In addition, there will be a final comprehensive exam, as
well as four hourly exams.
5. Course requirements and means of evaluation:.
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
f.
g.
Four hourly exams and one comprehensive exam.
A short paper on a specific disease.
Antimicrobial assignment.
Travel Report.
STD Report.
Newspaper project on an emerging disease.
Class participation.
6. Textbook and Video Teaching Alternatives:
Microbes and Society: An Introduction to Microbiology by I. Edward Alcamo (Jones &
Bartlett, 2003). This text discusses such topics as the place of microbes in ecology and the
environment, the uses of microbes in biotechnology, the roles of microbes in food production,
and the numerous other ways that microbes contribute to the quality of our lives. The text
also covers bioterrorism, examines the problem of antibiotic resistance, and surveys several
microbial diseases of history and contemporary times. The text assumes little or no science
background.
Unseen Life on Earth: An Introduction to Microbiology (Annenberg/CPB Collection, 2000)
Twelve half-hour video programs which explore basic microbial principles and how
microorganisms affect everything from medicine to criminal law to environmental issues to
global politics. Dynamic visuals such as animations and scanning electron micrographs make
complex topics easier to grasp, and cases studies from today’s headlines – including DNA
testing and dramatic battles against dangerous viruses. The video series shows real world
applications of microbes. The twelve programs are:
1. The Microbial Universe
2. The Unity of Living Systems
3. Metabolism
4. Reading the Code of Life
5. Genetic Transfer
6. Microbial Evolution
7. Microbial Diversity
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
Microbial Ecology
Microbial Control
Microbial Interactions
Human Defenses
Microbes and Human Disease
The Coming Plague (Turner Home Video, 2000) Four forty-five minute video programs
based on the book by Laurie Garrett. Video One, “The Virus Hunters” looks at David L.
Heymann, who searches West African rainforests for the secrets of Ebola virus. This video
also examines modern medicine’s battles with infectious disease. Video Two, “The Price of
Passion” studies the impact of AIDS and HIV in Kenya, the United States and around the
world. Video Three, “Revenge of the Microbes” studies hospital-borne infections and drugresistant superviruses. Video Four, “A World out of Balance” reviews the political, social and
economic factors that have changed the manner, and speed, by which infectious diseases
spread.
7. References & bibliography:
Alcamo, I.E. 2002. AIDS in the ModernWorld. Blackwell Science, Malden, MA..
Bauman, R.W. 2004. Microbiology. Benjamin Cummings, San Franscisco, CA.
Beck, R.W. 2000. A Chronology of Microbiology: In Historical Context. ASM Press,
Washington, DC.
Brown, J. 2001. Don’t Touch That Doorknob! Warner Books, New York, NY.
Cowan, M.J. 2002. The Microbe Files: Cases in Microbiology for the Undergraduate.
Benjamin Cummings, San Francisco, CA.
Lim, D. 2003. Microbiology, Third Edition. Kendall/Hunt, Dubuque, IA.
McCall, D., D. Stock, and P. Achey. 2001. Introduction to Microbiology. Blackwell Science,
Malden, MA.
Murray, P.R., K.S. Rosenthal, G.S. Kobayashi, and M.A. Pfaller. 2002. Medical Microbiology,
Fourth Edition. Mosby, Inc., St. Louis, MO.
Needham, C., M. Hoagland, K. McPherson, and B. Dodson. 2000. ASM Press, Washington,
DC.
Pommerville, J.C. 2004. Alcamo’s Fundamentals of Microbiology, Seventh Edition. Jones &
Bartlett, Boston, MA.
Salyers, A.A., and D.D. Whitt. 2001. Microbiology: Diversity, Disease, and the Environment.
Fitzerald Science Press, Bethesda, MD.
Struthers, J.K., and R.P. Westran. 2003. Clinical Bacteriology. ASM Press, Washington, DC.
Tierno, P.M. 2001. The Secret Life of Germs: Observations and Lessons from a Microbe
Hunter. Simon and Schuster, Inc., New York, NY.
B. Rationale for the new course: Part of the inspiration for this course arose from the new
University Studies Program that requires students to take such a course. In addition, I have
always wanted to develop and teach a course to biology non-majors that explores the world of
microorganisms and how those microbes influence our planet, as well as human lives. A couple
friends (microbiology educators) teach similar courses at colleges and universities throughout the
country, and have reported very favorable student response to such a course.
1. Major focus and objective of the course: The major focus and objective of this
course is to have students explore the power of selected microorganisms an how this
power has influenced history, medicine, economics, the environment, demography,
the arts, and human life.
2. Course contribution to the departmental curriculum: This course will compete
with other department courses (specifically BIOL104, The Environment, Society,
and Conservation, and BIOL269, Human Reproduction) as a University Studies,
Unity and Diversity, Science and Social Policy, biology non-majors course.
Students interested in an increased understanding of the microbial world and its
effect on society should find this course a welcomed addition to the curriculum.
3. Courses to be dropped if this course is implemented: This is a new course
designed to satisfy the Unity and Diversity, Science and Social Policy, Universities
Studies requirement. No classes will be dropped.
C. Statement of the impact of this course on other departments, programs, majors, and
minors.
1. Impact of this course on other departments, programs, majors, and minors:
Little or no impact is predicted on any other departments, programs, majors or
minors. However, see the Impact on the University Studies Program below.
2. Impact on the total number of credits required by any major or minor in any
department: This course will be an additional Unity and Diversity, Science and
Social Policy, Universities Studies elective offered by the Biology Department and
will not impact the total number of credits required by any major or minor in any
department.
C. Impact on the University Studies Program: See the companion University Studies Form
for Biology 109, Microbes and Society. It is the intention of the Biology Department that
Microbes and Society will satisfy the University Studies Program requirement in the
Science and Social Policy category. Enrollment in Microbes and Society will come from
the pool of other W.S.U. courses approved to meet this requirement.
WINONA STATE UNIVERSITY
FINANCIAL AND STAFFING DATA SHEET
Course or Program____BIOL 109, Microbes and Society_________
Include a Financial and Staffing Data Sheet with any proposal for a new course, new program, or revised program.
Please answer the following questions completely. Provide supporting data.
1.
Would this course or program be taught with existing staff or with new or additional staff? If this course would be
taught by adjunct faculty, include a rationale.
This course will be taught with existing staff. The course will be taught by Dr. David Essar of the Department
of Biology. Dr. Essar has a Ph.D. in Microbiology. Dr. Emmanuel Brako of the Department of Biology also
has a Ph.D. in Microbiology and would be qualified to teach this course.
2.
What impact would approval of this course/program have on current course offerings? Please discuss number of
sections of current offerings, dropping of courses, etc.
The only course that may be affected is BIOL 104, The Environment, Society, and Conservation. Up to seven
mega- sections of BIOL 104 are currently offered each year, with an annual enrollment of over 1,200 students.
BIOL 104 is a University Studies, Unity and Diversity, Science and Social Policy course. BIOL 109 will
replace one of the sections of BIOL 109 currently offered. BIOL 109 will compete with other courses listed
under the University Studies, Unity and Diversity, Science and Social Policy category. Students interested in
an increased understanding of the microbial world and its effect on society will find this course a welcomed
addition to the curriculum. In replacing one of the sections of BIOL 104, the total number of sections of
University Studies, Unity and Diversity, Science and Social Policy offered by the Biology Department remains
the same.
3.
What effect would approval of this course/program have on the department supplies? Include data to support
expenditures for staffing, equipment, supplies, instructional resources, etc.
Because the total number of sections of University Studies, Unity and Diversity, Science and Social Policy
offered by the Biology Department remains the same there would be no impact on the department’s budget.
Microbes and Society (BIOL 109)
PROPOSED SYLLABUS
"While the human race battles itself, fighting over ever more crowded turf and scarcer resources, the advantage moves to the
microbes' court. They are our predators and they will be victorious if we, Homo sapiens, do not learn how to live in a rational
global village that affords the microbes few opportunities. It's either that or we brace ourselves for the coming plague."
--- Laurie Garrett, The Coming Plague
Instructor Information:
Instructor: Dr. David W. Essar
Office: 215B Pasteur Hall
http://course1.winona.msus.edu/dessar/Prof.htm
Office Phone: 457-4572
E-mail: [email protected]
Catalog description: Microbes and Society - 3 S.H. An exploration of the microbial world and how that world influences life on
earth. Through lectures, assigned readings, Internet explorations, videotapes, writing assignments, and discussions the power and
influence of selected microorganisms on history, medicine, economics, the environment, demography, the arts, and human lives will be
examined. Grade only. Offered yearly.
Course HomePage: http://course1.winona.edu/dessar/BIOL109
Course Objectives: Students in BIOL 109 will explore the world of microorganisms and have the opportunity to learn how that world
has influenced our planet as well as our human lives. Through lectures, assigned readings, Internet explorations, videotapes, writing
assignments, and discussions the course will explore the power of selected microorganisms and how this power has influenced history,
medicine, economics, the environment, demography, the arts, and, of course, individual human lives. BIOL 109 is a University
Studies Course (Unity and Diversity: Science and Social Policy) designed for biology nonmajors. There will be reading assignments
for each class period, and five writing assignments which will be part of the course evaluation criteria. It is expected that students will
attend and actively participate in all class sessions. In class, the student will encounter lecture, collaborative and cooperative learning
activities, worksheets, discussions, videos, demonstrations, and other activities designed to provide the biology content and the study
skills necessary to become more scientifically literate. Participation in the class will be part of the evaluation for the course. In
addition, there will be a final comprehensive exam, as well as four hourly exams.
This course applies to the Science and Social Policy category within the Unity and Diversity section of the W.S.U. University
Studies Program. This category has five outcomes for activities which promote student’s abilities to:
1. understand the scientific foundation of the selected topic
2. understand the social, ethical, historical and political implications associated with the topic,
3. understand and articulate the need to integrate issues of science with social policy,
4. evaluate the various policy options relevant to the social dilemmas posed by the science, and
5. articulate, choose among, and defend various policy and/or scientific options to cope with the challenges created.
Microbes and Society has been specifically designed to ensure that the students will successfully meet these five outcomes.
Outcomes Grid
Lecture & Videotapes
X
X
X
Reading Assignments
X
X
X
Class Discussion
X
X
X
X
X
Writing Assignments
X
X
X
Examinations
X
X
X
1. Requirements and learning activities that promote students’ abilities to:
understand the scientific foundation of the topic.
Through lectures, videotapes, reading assignments , and classroom discussions, this course provides
students with a basic understanding of microbiology and the influence of selected microorganisms on
history, medicine, economics, the environment, demography, the arts, and human life.
2. Requirements and learning activities that promote students’ abilities to:
understand the social, ethical, historical and/or political implications of the topic.
The social, ethical, historical, and political implications of such topics as germ warfare, bioterrorism,
AIDS, Mad Cow Disease, antibiotic resistance, sexually transmitted diseases, biotechnology, food
preservation and safety, emerging diseases, and global disease eradication will be addressed through
lecture, videotapes, reading assignments, and class discussion. Two videotape series, The Coming Plague
and Unseen Life on Earth will be integrated into this course. In addition to class discussion, students will
demonstrate their understanding of the social, ethical, historical, and political implications of microbes
through writing assignments and examinations.
3. Requirements and learning activities that promote students’ abilities to:
understand and articulate the need to integrate issues of science with social policy.
Lectures, videotapes, and reading assignments are designed such that students will understand the social
and political implications of topics such as germ warfare, bioterrorism, AIDS, Mad Cow Disease,
antibiotic resistance, sexually transmitted diseases, biotechnology, food preservation and safety, emerging
diseases, and global disease eradication (noted in “2” above) and will include how hey are related to
either current or proposed social policies. In addition to participation in classroom discussions, students
will articulate their understanding of the need to integrate issues of science with social policy through
writing assignments and examinations.
4. Requirements and learning activities that promote students’ abilities to:
evaluate the various policy options relevant to the social dilemmas posed by the science.
Presentation of various policy options relevant to the social dilemmas posed by science will be introduced
to the students in lecture, videotapes, and reading assignments. This requirement will primarily met
through student participation in classroom discussions of the topics noted in “2” and “3”. In addition to
participation in classroom discussions, students will evaluate various policy options relevant to the social
dilemmas posed by science through writing assignments and the essay portions of examinations.
5. Requirements and learning activities that promote students’ abilities to:
articulate, choose among and defend various policy and/or scientific options to cope with the challenges
created.
As noted above, students will discuss and write about the social ramifications of policy choices relating to
the issues identified in “2” or related topics, often taking positions in favor or opposing specific policy
options.
In addition to the above general objectives, successful students in Microbes and Society will be able to:
! describe how microorganisms positively and negatively affect society, the environment, and individual
human lives,
! list and describe the various infectious diseases that can affect human society,
! list ways infectious diseases can be treated and, more importantly, prevented, and
! demonstrate how a knowledge base in biology and microbiology can lead to more informed scientific
decision making, especially decisions that are morally or ethically based.
Required Text: Microbes and Society: An Introduction to Microbiology by I.E. Alcamo (Jones & Bartlett, 2003)
Course Evaluation: You will EARN your grade based on the following criteria:
Written Assignments*:
(125 pts)
Short paper on a specific disease
25 pts
Antimicrobial assignment
25 pts
Travel Report
25 pts
STD Report
25 pts
Class Participation:
25 pts
Exams:
200 pts
Total:
350 pts
*Exact specifications for each writing assignment are found at the end of the syllabus.
In general, grades will be given as 315-350 points (90-100%) = A, 280-314 points (80-90%) = B, 245-279 points
(70-80%) = C, 210-244 points (60-70%) = D, and 0-209 points (60%) = E.
Attendance Policy: Attendance is required to successfully complete this course. You are expected to attend each
class session and be prepared to participate in all class activities. Part of the evaluation for the course will be based
on participation. Lack of attendance and lack of participation will prevent you from achieving the learning
objectives for this course and will result in a lower grade.
If an examination is missed for any reason other than a hospitalized illness, death in the immediate family, or
personal emergencies which have been excused by the Dean of Students or verified by other means the exam can not
be made up. No exceptions will be made! In cases where a make-up exam is warranted, the student will be given a
comprehensive make-up exam at the end of the semester. The final exam must be taken at the time scheduled by the
university.
 LATE ASIGNMENTS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED
Plagiarism Policy:
According to Webster, to plagiarize is “to steal or pass off the ideas or words of another as one’s own…to use
created productions without crediting the source…to commit literary theft…to present as new and original an idea or
product derived from an existing source.”
W.S.U. students are responsible for authenticating any assignment submitted to an instructor. If asked, you must be
able to produce proof that the assignment you submit is actually your own work. Therefore, I recommend that you
engage in a verifiable working process on assignments. Keep copies of all drafts of your work make photocopies of
research materials, write summaries of research materials, hang onto Writing Center editorial comments, keep logs or
journals of your work on assignments and papers, learn to save drafts or versions of assignments under individual file
names on computer or diskette, etc.
The inability to authenticate your work, should I request it, is a sufficient ground for failing the assignment. In
addition to requiring a student to authenticate his/her work, other means of ascertaining authenticity -- such as
engaging in Internet searches, requiring students to explain their work and/or process orally, may also be employed.
Tentative Course Schedule/Outline:
I. The Microbial World
F. Why Microbes Matter
1. Down on the Farm
2. In the Industrial Plant
3. At the Hub of Biotechnology
4. Food Microbiology
5. In the Environment
6. In the Pharmaceutical Lab
G. Video – The Microbial Universe
H. The Roots of Microbiology
1. Anton van Leeuwenhoek
2. Louis Pasteur
3. Robert Koch
4. The Golden Age of Microbiology
5. Into the Twentieth Century
6. Women of Microbiology
I. The Microbes
1. Bacteria
2. Viruses
3. Protozoa
4. Algae
5. Fungi
6. Video – The Unity of Living Systems
J. GERMS….What are they, anyway?
1. What the heck is Microbiology?
http://people.ku.edu/~jbrown/whatmicro.html
5. What are Microbes?
http://www.microbe.org/microbes/mysteries.asp
6. What the heck is a virus?
http://people.ku.edu/~jbrown/virus.html
7. SHORT PAPER ON A SPECIFIC DISEASE – WRITING ASSIGNMENT #1
II. Microbes in Perspective
A. Microbes in the Biosphere
1.
Classification
2.
Prokaryotes and Eukaryotes
3.
The Five Kingdoms
4.
The Three Domains
Video – Microbial Evolution
5.
D. Naming and Measuring Microbes
1.
Binomial and Common Names
2.
Microbial Measurements
E. Video – Microbial Diversity
III. Bacteria: The First Microbes
A. Bacterial Structure and Physiology
7.
General Morphology
8.
Staining Procedures
9.
Surface Structures
10. Cytoplasmic Structures
11. Bacterial Reproduction
12. Bacterial Growth
B. Common Bacteria
9.
Archaebacteria
10. Photosynthetic Bacteria
11. Heterotrophic Eubacteria
12. Spiral and Filamentous Bacteria
13. Gliding and Sheathed Bacteria
14. Predatory and Other Bacteria
15. Submicroscopic Bacteria
16. Bacterial Pathogens
IV. Viruses
A. The Discovery and Structure of Viruses
B. Viral Replication
6. Viral Replication and Disease
7.
Defense against Viruses
8.
Viral Vaccines
9.
Viruses as Research Tools
10. Viroids and Prions
C. Viruses and Cancer
D. Video – The Coming Plague – The Virus Hunters
V. Protists
A. The Protozoa
4. Amoebas
5. Flagellates
6. Ciliates
4. Sporozoa
B. Other Protists
C. Irish Potato Famine
EXAM #1
VI. Fungi
A. Classification, Structure, and Growth of Fungi
B. Divisions of Fungi
5. Zygomycota
a. Rhizopus stolonifer –common black breadmold
b. Sake
c. Cortisone
6. Ascomycota
a. Penicillium
b. Aspergillus
c. Claviceps purpurae
d. A Fungus and the French Revolution
7. Basidomycota
a. Mushrooms
b. Rust and Smut Diseases
8. Deuteromycota
C. Beneficial and Harmful Fungi
5. Yeasts
6. Lichens
7. Mycorrhizae
8. Fungi and Human Diseases
VII. Growth and Metabolism
A. Video – Metabolism
D. Microbial Growth
1. Population Growth – The Growth Curve
6. Water and Temperature
7. Oxygen and Acidity
8. Other Factors
VIII. Microbial Genetics: New Genes for Germs
A. Video – Genetic Tranfer
C. Gene Recombinations
1. Conjugation
2. Transduction
3. Transformation
IX. Controlling Microbes
A. Video – Microbial Control
B. Physical Methods of Control
1. Heat Methods
2. Radiation
3. Drying
4. Filtration
C. Chemical Methods of Control
1. General Principles
2. Alcohols and Aldehydes
3. Halogens and Heavy Metals
4. Detergents and Phenols
9. Ethylene Oxide
D. Antibiotics
1. The First Antibacterials
4. The Development of Penicillin
- World War II & the Miracle of Penicillin
http://home.att.net/~steinert/wwii.htm
3. Penicillins
4. Cephalosporins and Aminoglycosides
5. Broad-Spectrum Antibiotics
6. Other Antibiotics
7. Antiviral and Antifungal Antibiotics
8. Antibiotic Resistance
a. The Challenge of antibiotic resistance
http://www.health.fgov.be/WHI3/periodical/months/wwhv2n5tekst/WWH2306983.htm
b. Antimicrobial resistance from the USDA Perspective
http://www.fsis.usda.gov/oa/speeches/2000/cw_antirest.htm
c. Antimicrobial Resistance Homepage –CDC
http://www.cdc.gov/drugresistance/
9. Video – The Coming Plague: Revenge of the Microbes: Antibiotic Resistance
E. ANTIMICROBIAL ASSIGNMENT - TRICLOSAN
1. The Dirt on Antibacterial Soaps
http://www.healthatoz.com/healthatoz/Atoz/hl/sp/home/alert09192000.html
2. Groceries Trip Triclosan Switch
http://www.nature.com/nsu/010531/010531-1.html
3. Triclosan – Good or Bad?
http://www.lindachae.com/triclosan.htm
EXAM #2
X. Microbes and Food
A. A Menu of Microbial Delights
B. Food Preservation and Safety
1. Food spoilage
2. Food Preservation
3. Preventing Foodborne Disease
XI. Microbes and Industry
A. Industrial Enzymes
B. Organic Acids and Vitamins
C. Other Microbial Products
D. Antibiotics
XII. Microbes and Agriculture
A. Microbes on the Farm
1. Nitrogen Fixation
2. Ruminants
3. At the Dairy
B. Biotechnology on the Farm
1. Bacterial Insecticides
2. Viral and Fungal Insecticides
XIII. Microbes and the Environment – No Microbes, No Life
A. Video – Microbial Ecology
B. The Cycles of Nature
1. The Carbon Cycle
2. The Sulfur Cycle
3. The Nitrogen Cycle
4. The Oxygen Cycle
5. The Phosphorus Cycle
C. Preserving the Environment
1. Sanitary and Waste Facilities
2. Bioremediation
3. Water Treatment
XIV. Disease and Resistance
A. Video – Microbial Interactions
B. The Host – Parasite Relationship
1. Concepts of Infectious Disease
2. The Establishment of Disease
C. Video – Human Defenses
D. Nonspecific Resistance to Disease
1. Mechanical Barriers
2. Chemical Barriers
E. Specific Resistance to Disease –Immunity and the Immune System
XV. TRAVEL REPORT ASSIGNMENT
A. Country Groups
B. Internet Resources
C. Questions to Address
1. What diseases are endemic or currently epidemic?
2. What immunizations should you receive before traveling there?
3. What medicines should you take along?
4. Can you drink the water there? Eat fresh vegetables? Swim in the local waters?
5. Trust the local medical personnel?
D. Other Sources
EXAM #3
XVI. Video – Microbes and Human Disease
XVII. Viral Diseases of Humans
A. Viral Diseases of the Skin
1. Herpes Simplex
2. Chickenpox
3. Measles (Rubeola)
4. German Measles (Rubella)
5. Fifth Disease (Erythema Infectiosum)
6. Mumps
7. Smallpox – Germ Warfare and Bioterrorism
B. Viral Diseases of the Respiratory Tract – Influenza and Colds
C. Viral Diseases of the Nervous system
1. Rabies
2. Polio
5. Prions and Mad Cow Disease
D. Viral Diseases of the Visceral Organs
1. Infectious Mononucleosis
2. Hepatitis A, B, & C
3. Viral Gastroenteritis
4. Hantavirus
5. Cytomegalovirus
6. HIV and AIDS
E. Video – The Coming Plague: AIDS: The Price of Passion
XVIII. HUMAN DISEASE ASSIGNMENTS
A. STD REPORT ASSIGNMENT
B. NEWSPAPER PROJECT ON EMERGING DISEASES
XIX. Bacterial Diseases of Humans
A. Airborne Bacterial Diseases
1. Streptococcal Diseases
2. Diptheria
3. Pertussis
4. Bacterial Meningitis
5. Tuberculosis
6. Legionnaire’s Disease
7. Bacterial Pneumonia
8. Other Respiratory Diseases
B. Foodborne and Waterborne Bacterial Diseases
1. Botulism
2. Salmonellosis
3. Staphylococcal Food Poisoning
4. E. coli Diarrheas
5. Peptic Ulcer Disease
6. Campylobacteriosis
7. Listeriosis
8. Other Intestinal Diseases
C. Soilborne Bacterial Diseases
1. Anthrax
2. Tetanus
3. Gas Gangrene
D. Arthropodborne Bacterial Diseases
1. Plague – The Black Death
2. Tularemia
3. Lyme Disease
4. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
E. Sexually Transmitted Diseases
1. Syphilis
2. Gonorrhea
3. Chlamydia
4. Other Sexually Transmitted Diseases
F. Contact and Miscellaneous Bacterial Diseases
G.Video - The Coming Plague – A World Out of Balance: Emerging Diseases
EXAM #4
Short Paper on a Specific Disease
First, select a disease from the list, and then prepare a written report on this disease that is at least 3
pages in length but no more than 4 pages. Be sure you respond to EACH of the points listed here:

Common name of the disease, and any alternative or previous names

Causative organism

Any diseases caused by closely related organisms

Mode of transmission

Incubation period

Symptoms and diagnosis

Time course - how long does it last, do symptoms change over time?

Distribution in place and time

Major historical outbreaks if any

Impact - who gets it, how serious is it, mortality rate from it

Treatment

Prevention

Scientific history, if any - how long has it been known, who discovered it, any major controversies
about its cause, etc.

Future prospects -- will the incidence of this disease stay about the same, decrease, or increase?
Will this disease ever be eliminated from the earth, or is it here to stay?
The sources you use are up to you -- web sites, textbooks, and review articles are all OK, but make sure
they are up-to-date. List your specific sources at the end of your paper.
Your paper must be typed or word processed, double-spaced, with margins no greater than one
inch on each side. It should be at least 3 pages in length but no more than 4 pages. Grammar and
spelling count! Don't forget the Writing Center is available in Minne Hall to help you -- the people there
will need a copy of your assignment in order to assist you. Call ahead and make an appointment to meet
with them -- it's free!
ANY QUESTIONS?? Just ask!! There's probably someone else in class with the very same
question!
List of Diseases for the Short Paper

Amebic dysentery

Anthrax

Botulism

Candidiasis

Chagas disease

Cholera

Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)

Dengue fever encephalitis

Gonorrhea

Hepatitis A

Hepatitis C

Hepatitis B

Leprosy

Malaria

Measles

Polio

Plague

Puerperal fever (infection after childbirth)

Rabies

Smallpox

Scrapie

Syphilis

Tetanus

Trypanosomiasis

Tuberculosis

Typhoid fever

Typhus yellow fever

West Nile Fever

Whooping cough
Antimicrobial Assignment
Have you noticed when you go to the store that it's really tough to find hand soaps, household cleaners, and other stuff
that DON'T contain "antimicrobial" chemicals?
For this assignment I'd like you to go shopping.......you don't have to BUY anything, I just want you to go to a store
(like Wal Mart or Target or HyVee) and do some digging for products that contain a chemical compound called
triclosan. You should look for deodorant soaps, liquid hand soaps, cosmetics, deodorants, antiperspirants, body
washes, anti-gum disease toothpastes, dish washing liquids, antimicrobial lotions and creams, and even things like
plastic cutting boards, sponges, certain toys, mattresses, towels, sheets, mattress covers, some fabrics, window cleaner,
and even chopsticks!
Whenever you find something that contains triclosan as an "active ingredient" (it will say this on the label of the
product....look for "active ingredients" listed somewhere on the label), write it down. Try to find as many products as
you can in as many different categories as you can: personal care products, cleaning products, etc.
Then, you need to start reading about triclosan. Start with the links listed below. Your goal is to see if you can
determine whether or not triclosan should be used in these products or if it should be discontinued. You need to come
up with a set of reasons WHY or WHY NOT triclosan should be used. Make a final statement about your choice.
Why are companies putting triclosan and other chemicals like it in their products in the first place? Does the FDA or
the EPA have anything to say about it?
When you're done with your shopping trip and your research, write a short paper listing the products you
found that contain triclosan (word-processed, double-spaced, no more than 3 pages in length), and state your
case as to what you now believe about triclosan. In your decision, make sure you include your thoughts about
triclosan and whether or not it contributes to microbial resistance. Should manufacturing companies be adding
this stuff to all these products? Give your opinion on what we SHOULD use for hand washing and other
general cleaning around our homes if you think we should not be using triclosan.
Check out these links for starters:

The dirt on antibacterial soaps

Groceries trip triclosan switch

This link is from the Soap and Detergent Association -- see what they have to say

Triclosan -- good or bad?

Triclosan causing superbugs?

Hand hygiene -- CDC

Wash out -- could antibacterial soaps create new bacterial strains?
Travel Report
First, choose one of the groups of countries listed below, and then imagine that you will be taking a trip to your set of
countries. What precautions do you need to take to protect yourself from infectious disease?
The CDC has web pages devoted specifically to travelers' information on infectious disease in different regions of the
world. You can assume that this is probably the most current and authoritative information available. The World Health
Organization also has travel pages that may be helpful. The U.S. State Department and the Bureau of Consular Affairs also
have travel guides for some regions or countries that include health as well as other information. And the University of
Iowa Hospitals and Clinics has a great site on "Emporiatrics," or travel medicine.
Part I of your Travel Report: Use the web pages just mentioned to find the answers to the following questions for your
Travel Report:

What diseases are endemic or currently epidemic in your area?

What immunizations should you receive before traveling there?

What medicines should you take along? (Only a few specific ones are mentioned in the CDC
files; you don't have to go searching for more)

Can you drink the water there? Eat fresh vegetables? Swim in the local waters? Trust the local
medical personnel?

Is there anything else you should do to protect yourself?
Part II: Now go to one or more of the following sources and ask those very same questions:

Travel agent

Travel guidebooks

Travel magazine

Web sites prepared by the country itself or by the tourist industry

Health professional
Part III: Did you get the same information? Did you expect that the information would be the same? Why or why not?
Part IV: Summarize your findings in a typewritten report of at least 3 pages in length, but not more than 5 pages. List all your sources,
and make sure you report on any differences between the information you found from the travel sites with the information you found
by using your sources in Part II.
Country Groups

Iceland, Ireland, Norway, Finland

Poland, Latvia, Ukraine, former Soviet Union

Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Slovakia

Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh

Mongolia, western China

Panama, Costa Rica

Uzbekistan, Afghanistan

Malaysia, Thailand

Vietnam, Philippines

Japan, Korea

Taiwan, eastern China

Australia, New Zealand

Papua New Guinea, Tahiti

South Africa, Zimbabwe

Zambia, Madagascar

Kenya, Tanzania

Sudan, Ethiopia

Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Sierra Leone

Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Mali

Colombia, Venezuela

Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador

Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay, Argentina

Dominican Republic, Trinidad

Puerto Rico, Bermuda

Mexico, Guatemala

Nicaragua, Belize

Egypt, Israel

Saudi Arabia, Yemen

Albania, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria
STD Report
Choose ONE of the following five projects, & write a short word-processed report (of at least 3
pages, no more than 5) to summarize your findings. Be sure to answer ALL the questions that are
posed in your project description:
1. Go to the Nurse's office in Maxwell Hall, a doctor's office, the Winona County Public Health Nursing
Department, SEMCAC STD Clinic, the Red Cross office in Winona, or to a hospital clinic & collect a set
of whatever brochures or other information is available on various sexually transmitted diseases. Many of
these are specifically aimed at either women or men, so just get the ones that apply to you. Make a list of
what you found and where you found it. How informative is the material you found? How easy would it be
for the general public to understand? How persuasive is it?
2. Interview a health care professional at one of the above sites about his/her practice as it relates to STDs.
How many cases are seen in a typical day or week? What diseases are most common? How responsive are
patients to treatment and to counseling about prevention? Do you think patients modify their behavior after
being diagnosed with an STD?
3. Talk to a health professional, social worker, or other person who works with AIDS patients. Ask about
his/her work, and about the typical course of treatment, counseling, etc., that a person would receive on
being found HIV positive and after developing symptoms of active AIDS.
4. What are the Winona public schools (or your local school district) doing these days with sex education?
Is the curriculum teaching only abstinence, or does it include information about the prevention of
pregnancy, STDs, and other explicit topics? Summarize your findings. Do you agree or disagree with their
approach? Defend your position.
5. Look at some popular magazines likely to be read by teens and/or young adults. Find at least three
articles on STDs. Evaluate them in a paragraph or two -- how well do they accomplish their goal? Are they
reaching their target audience? Is the target audience likely to pay attention?
Newspaper Project on an Emerging Disease
For one of the following disease outbreaks, SELECT ONE OUTBREAK and COMPILE A
COLLECTION of at least 5 (more if you can find them) newspaper or newsmagazine
articles that were originally written during each of the following five times during the
outbreak:
1.
At the start of the outbreak
2.
Early in the outbreak, speculating what the cause might be
3.
When the disease or causative organism was identified
4.
At the height of the infection
5.
After it was pretty much over
For this assignment I will not accept WEB SITE NEWS REPORTS!! This assignment is
about searching newspapers and newsmagazines!! However, if your original newspaper
articles or newsmagazine articles are archived on a web site, you may retrieve your articles from
the web archive......they cannot be purely "web-based" news reports......they must have been
originally published in a newspaper or newsmagazine and just stored on the web site.
You should find at least five (more is better) articles. Label each article according to when
it was written during the outbreak......use the numbering system described above in 1-5.
You must have at least one article corresponding to each of the five times during the
outbreak that are listed above. Accompany your set of articles with a 2-3 page wordprocessed summary describing the course of the outbreak over the 5 periods listed above -as well as when and where it occurred, how long it lasted, who identified the cause, and
how it was controlled.
Newspapers and popular news magazines like "Time," "Newsweek," etc., are available in the
W.S.U. Library as well as in the Winona Rapids Public Library and in most other public libraries.
Some of the older issues may be on microfilm or microfiche -- check with one of the librarians.
For diseases that have a clear geographic focus or starting point, try to get a least a couple of
articles from the nearest major big city newspaper. The New York Times is the BEST newspaper
to use for this assignment, and most libraries have it on microfilm or web-based archives going
WAY back many years.
Outbreak list to choose from:

Legionnaire's disease (Philadelphia, July-August 1976)

Four Corners virus (also called "hantavirus") (New Mexico, spring 1993)

Lyme disease (Connecticut 1975)

Tampon-related toxic shock syndrome (1980)

"Flesh-eating bacteria" strep infections (Great Britain, 1994)

E. coli O157:H7 outbreaks (1982, 1993, 1996)

Listeria (Los Angeles, 1985)

Plague (Los Angeles, 1924)

Cryptosporidiosis (Milwaukee, 1993)

Swine flu (1957)

LaCrosse encephalitis (1965)

Pontiac fever (1968)

vCJD in Great Britain (1995-1996)

Foot and mouth disease (Great Britain, 2001)

West Nile virus (in New York, 1999-2001 -- OR you can do the outbreak from the summer of
2002 here in the Midwest)

Anthrax outbreak (October 2001)

Ebola outbreak in Gabon, The Republic of the Congo, Africa (2001-2002)

Norwalk and Norwalk-like virus outbreaks aboard cruise ships (November and December 2002)

SARS (Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome) outbreak in the Far East, Canada, and United States
(March-April, 2003)

Influenza outbreak of fall/winter 2003/2004