Small Creatures, Big Impact: Vectors of Human Disease
BIOL 308
Spring 2027
| Section:
01
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| This course may be repeated for credit. |
This course explores the relationship between public health and vector-borne diseases, which are illnesses transmitted to humans by organisms such as mosquitoes, ticks, sand flies, kissing bugs and tsetse flies. Through the lens of entomology, ecology, and global health, students will examine why vector-borne diseases account for more than 17% of all infectious diseases worldwide and are responsible for over 700,000 deaths annually. Students will develop an understanding of the biology and ecology of major disease vectors and their associated pathogens, including those responsible for malaria, dengue, Zika, West Nile virus, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis, schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis, chagas disease, sleeping sickness, and other emerging and neglected tropical diseases. Topics will include vector physiology, behavior, life cycles, pathogen transmission, and the environmental factors that influence vector populations and disease dynamics. The course will also examine how social, economic, and environmental conditions shape disease risk and transmission. Particular attention will be given to the challenges faced by underserved communities, where limited access to healthcare, inadequate sanitation, poor housing conditions, and weak public health infrastructure can increase vulnerability to vector-borne diseases. Students will evaluate how these factors interact with biological and ecological processes to influence disease burden at both local and global scales. Additional topics will include epidemiology, disease surveillance, vector control strategies, climate change, public health interventions, and policy development. Through the examination of real-world case studies, students will explore sustainable approaches to disease prevention and control while considering the broader issues of global health equity and health disparities. By the end of the course, students will understand the complex interactions among vectors, pathogens, humans, and the environment, as well as the biological, social, and economic factors that contribute to the persistence and spread of vector-borne diseases worldwide. |
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| Credit: 1 |
Gen Ed Area Dept:
NSM BIOL |
| Course Format: Lecture / Discussion | Grading Mode: Graded |
| Level: UGRD |
Prerequisites: (BIOL181 OR MB&B181) AND (BIOL182 OR MB&B182) |
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Fulfills a Requirement for: (Biology) |
| SECTION 01 |
Major Readings: Wesleyan RJ Julia Bookstore
TBA
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Examinations and Assignments:
Quizzes, 2 exams, 1 group presentation and 1 group debate session |
Additional Requirements and/or Comments:
Course will be taught by Dr. Rafael Pimenta |
Instructor(s): STAFF
Times: ..T.R.. 02:50PM-04:10PM; Location: TBA |
| Total Enrollment Limit: 14 | | SR major: 4 | JR major: 4 | | |
| | GRAD: X | SR non-major: 2 | JR non-major: 2 | SO: 2 | FR: X |
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