This course develops zoonotic spillover, reservoir ecology, and vector-borne transmission end to end, connecting the site’s ecological-dynamics pages to the human-animal-environment interface. It pairs naturally with Field Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine and builds on Infectious Disease Ecology.
The course syllabus is shown below.
Draft syllabus. This is a scaffold for the concentration. Course number, credit hours, dates, and specific assignments are placeholders and will be finalized before the course is offered.
Course title and instructors
Title: One Health and Zoonotic Disease Ecology
Course Number: BIO 3xx (proposed; confirm with the Department of Biology)
Semester: TBD
Credit Hours: 3
Meeting Time: TBD
Course Director: Michael E. DeWitt, MS
Email: medewitt@wakehealth.edu or dewime23@wfu.edu
Course description
Most emerging infections in people come from animals, and stopping them means understanding the ecology on the animal side of the interface. This course follows the path a pathogen takes from a reservoir to a human case: the ecological and evolutionary steps of spillover, the barriers a pathogen must cross, the reservoir and maintenance communities that keep it circulating, and the vectors that move it between hosts. Students model vector-borne transmission with the Ross-Macdonald approach and analyze the control levers it exposes, and they apply source-sink and metapopulation reasoning to decide where control matters most. Landscape change, wildlife and livestock disease, and One Health surveillance tie the pieces together.
Learning outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:
- Explain the ecological and evolutionary steps of zoonotic spillover and the barriers a pathogen must cross
- Characterize reservoir dynamics and maintenance communities, and distinguish reservoir from spillover hosts
- Model vector-borne transmission (Ross-Macdonald) and analyze its control levers
- Apply source-sink and metapopulation reasoning to where control matters
- Relate landscape change and the human-animal-environment interface to disease emergence
- Describe One Health surveillance across human, animal, and environmental health
Textbook and other resources
There is no single required textbook. Recommended references include:
- Plowright RK, et al. Pathways to zoonotic spillover. Nat Rev Microbiol 2017;15:502-10. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrmicro.2017.45
- Keeling MJ, Rohani P. Modeling Infectious Diseases in Humans and Animals. Princeton University Press.
- Selected primary literature on reservoir ecology and vector-borne disease
Additional readings will be assigned throughout the course.
Site resources
This course draws on IDEEEP content pages as assigned readings:
- Vector-borne disease
- Metapopulations and the Levins model
- Ecological networks
- Evolution of virulence
- Spatial point processes
- Infectious Disease Ecology
- Field Epidemiology and Tropical Medicine
Planned concept pages on zoonotic spillover, source-sink dynamics, reservoir ecology, and One Health surveillance will be assigned as readings and linked here once published.
Course structure and schedule
This course meets over 15 weeks and combines lecture with literature discussion and modeling exercises. The schedule below is a draft outline of topics.
| Week | Topic |
|---|---|
| 1 | Introduction to One Health and the interface |
| 2 | What is a zoonosis: hosts, reservoirs, and vectors |
| 3 | Spillover pathways and cross-species transmission |
| 4 | Barriers a pathogen must cross |
| 5 | Reservoir and maintenance-host ecology |
| 6 | Distinguishing reservoir from spillover hosts |
| 7 | Vector-borne dynamics: the Ross-Macdonald model |
| 8 | Control levers for vector-borne disease |
| 9 | Source-sink dynamics and where control matters |
| 10 | Metapopulation reasoning and connectivity |
| 11 | Wildlife and livestock disease |
| 12 | Landscape change and disease emergence |
| 13 | Evolution of virulence at the interface |
| 14 | One Health surveillance |
| 15 | Project presentations and wrap-up |
Note: Specific dates will be provided at the beginning of the semester. Topics may be adjusted based on class progress and student interests.
Grades and assignments
| Activity | Weight |
|---|---|
| Participation and literature discussion | 20% |
| Assignments and modeling exercises | 30% |
| Exam(s) | 20% |
| Final project | 30% |
Final project: Students will analyze a zoonotic or vector-borne disease system of their choosing, tracing its spillover pathway and reservoir ecology and proposing where control would matter most, grounded in primary literature.
Course policies
Attendance: Regular attendance is expected, particularly for discussion sessions. Please alert the instructor if you are unable to attend for any reason.
Late/Makeup work: Assignments are due on the dates provided. We recognize that extenuating circumstances arise, and assignments may be submitted up to 2 days late without penalty. If you need an extension, contact the instructor as soon as possible and before the due date.
Artificial intelligence: Artificial intelligence tools and large language models such as ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini are now part of the academic and professional landscape and we encourage you to find ways to use them to enhance your learning. However, if you use these tools, you must cite your sources and provide a detailed description of the tools you used to complete the assignment. In no way can these tools take the place of your own work and understanding of the material. They should be used to supplement your learning, not replace it. You are ultimately responsible for your work including content and the use of valid citations and references. Using these tools without proper attribution is plagiarism and will be treated as such.
Department/School/University policies
Academic Integrity: Wake Forest University is committed to a culture of academic integrity. As a part of this community, you share the responsibility for creating a place of honesty, intellectual curiosity, and individual accountability. As you committed to with your honor pledge signature, you agree “not to deceive any member of the community; not to steal, cheat, or plagiarize on academic work; and not to engage in any other form of academic misconduct.” If you have questions about documenting your work, working with external sources, or working with peers on assigned work, consult with me as soon as possible. Instances of academic dishonesty will be referred to the Honor and Ethics Council.
Accessibility: Wake Forest University provides reasonable accommodations to students with disabilities. If you are in need of an accommodation, please contact me privately as early in the term as possible. Retroactive accommodations will not be provided. Students requiring accommodations must also consult the Center for Learning, Access, and Student Success (118 Reynolda Hall, 336-758-5929, class.wfu.edu).
Accommodations for Religious or Spiritual Practices: Wake Forest University benefits from the multitude of faiths and spiritual identities held by members of our learning community. Should you need accommodations this semester, email me as soon as possible to ensure we have time to develop equitable alternatives.
Class recordings: In case any class recordings are provided, they are reserved only for students in this class for educational purposes and are protected under FERPA. The recordings should not be shared outside the class in any form.
Syllabus change notice
This syllabus and the dates herein are subject to change.