BI2ID2: Infectious Diseases

Module code: BI2ID2

Module provider: School of Biological Sciences

Credits: 20

Level: 5

When you’ll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Aidan J Taylor , email: a.j.taylor@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Simon Clarke, email: s.r.clarke@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s): BEFORE TAKING THIS MODULE YOU MUST TAKE BI1FM1 OR ( TAKE BI1S1 AND TAKE BI1BAC2 ) (Compulsory)

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2025/6

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 3 April 2025

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Microorganisms are all around us, including in and on our bodies, on all other animals and plants, and the soil beneath our feet. The vast majority of bacteria, viruses and fungi are harmless, many are even beneficial, yet infectious diseases remain a major threat in the UK and globally. Endemic disease, for a period resigned to the history books in the developed world, is now regaining a foothold as rapidly evolving viruses and antibiotic resistant bacteria progressively diminish our ability to fight infectious disease.  

In this module you will study infectious diseases afflicting the various systems of the human body, and the pathogens that cause them: from viruses and bacteria to fungi and protists. You will gain a deep understanding of their transmission, dissemination, pathogenesis, detection and the development of therapies and prevention methods. The module will be delivered from a systems approach, wherein lectures will cover the range of pathogens across taxonomic kingdoms responsible for infections within a given system. Systems covered are: respiratory; gastrointestinal; genitourinary; skin and soft tissue; blood and CNS. Attention will be given to antimicrobial action and resistance, pathogen epidemiology and public health outcomes. 

Lectures will complement a series of laboratory practicals where you will “Identify the culprit”, using modern biomedical practices of identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing on real world pathogens. The first practical session will introduce multiplex PCR and Sanger sequencing identification of human respiratory viral pathogens, including differentiation of DNA and RNA based viruses and the techniques of isolation, amplification and identification. In the remaining sessions, students work to isolate and identify pathogenic microbes from clinical samples in several simulated disease scenarios. Working independently, you will conduct a series of biochemical, physiological and serological methods to identify your pathogens.  

You will gain experience in the methods used to identify medically important human pathogens and learn how to safely work with infectious clinical samples. 

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to: 

1. Describe medically important pathogens and the diseases they cause, discussing aspects of epidemiology and public health control measures 
2. Explain the mechanisms of action of antimicrobials and how pathogens evolve resistance, and strategies to control and prevent infectious diseases including principles of vaccination and herd immunity 
3. Explain the principles and procedures for traditional and modern methods for detection, isolation, identification and subtyping of pathogens 
4. Isolate, purify and identify medically important bacteria, yeast and viruses from clinical samples and assess susceptibility to relevant antimicrobials to propose an appropriate course of treatment, keeping accurate laboratory records

Module content

Lecture materials will cover the following topics: 

• Pathogens: virulence; transmission; dissemination 
• Disease diagnosis, treatment and prevention, including antimicrobial mechanisms and vaccines 
• Epidemiology and public health 
• Respiratory infections: LRT / URT, ear, nose, throat infections (ENT) 
• Gastrointestinal infections 
• Genitourinary infections 
• Skin and soft tissue infections, eye infections 
• Blood and CNS infections 

Practical classes include the following training / activities: 

• Molecular diagnostics including multiplex PCR, RT-PCR, and Sanger sequencing 
• Traditional culture-based methods including selective, differential and chromogenic media, Gram stain and light microscopy 
• Biochemical, physiological and serological methods of diagnosis and identification 
• Antibiotic susceptibility testing, EUCAST breakpoints 

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The learning outcomes will be met through a mixture of lectures, tutorials, laboratory-based practical classes, self-directed learning and directed independent study. Appropriate supplementary information and reading lists will be provided on Blackboard.  

Tutorial sessions will prepare and support students to understand the theory of pathogen identification and disease diagnosis techniques. They will also provide training on how to make accurate records of experimental work and to perform calculations required for the practical assessments. 

Study hours

At least 46 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: /cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Formative Blackboard tests that assess understanding of the online course, lecture material and practical theory will provide students with feedback so that they have an opportunity to reflect on progress and improve.  

Students will be given the opportunity to reflect on their practical work and encouraged to seek 1:1 feedback from practical class leaders / demonstrators during laboratory classes to help improve their practical skills.  

Reassessment

Additional costs