Goal: Figure out how the Zombie virus was originally ...



Disease Detectives: An Expedition Into the World of Yuck!19431009906000Lesson #1: Discovering the Yuck!Lesson #2 Microbes, Microbes, Everywhere!Lesson #3 Disease on the Run! Zombie, Zombie Everywhere!!Lesson #4 It’s All About Prevention!“Do you know what's lurking on your pencil? ?What about on that desk you lay your head on in class? ?In this unit students will discover the world of the microscopic as they journey into the land of germs. We will research diseases, conduct experiments, track the spread of disease in this entirely gross experience.”ESSENTIAL QUESTION: IS POWER RELATED TO SIZE?Betsey WhiteSPED 6402 Spring 2013East Carolina UniversityCONTENT RESEARCH PAPERDisease DetectivesElizabeth G. WhiteLeigha DetiberusEast Carolina UniversityFor much of known history, the cause of illness has been a mystery. Lacking the understanding of diseases and their causes, people reverted to the superstitious—illness was blamed on bad air and other elements, witchcraft, or even God’s punishment. The basic understanding of germs as disease-causers has only been around for about 150 years (Ollhoff, 2010, p. 4). In the last 150 years many gains have been made in the discovery of germs and germ theory. Scientists have learned that microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, protists, and fungi are the cause of disease. Advances have been made in treating and tracking diseases as well: antibiotics and vaccines have become favored over bloodletting and promoting basic hygiene, such as simple hand-washing, has been found do decrease death rates and instances in the spread of disease (Ollhoff, 2010, p. 15).With the new knowledge of germs, a new area of science emerged: microbiology. Microbiology is the study of microorganisms—tiny (microscopic) living things. Scientists learned that microbes, another name for microorganisms, are the actual causes of disease. Most microbes belong to one of four categories: bacteria, viruses, fungi and protists—though in this unit we will only focus on the firs three (“Microbes,” 2012). Thanks to the advancements in the field of microbiology we have learned about the structures, shapes, and reproduction methods of these microorganisms.Bacteria are single-celled, prokaryotic, organisms. Prokaryotes are organisms that lack a nucleus; this means the genetic material (DNA) floats around freely inside the cell’s cytoplasm. Prokaryotes are the most basic of cells. They lack many of the organelles that eukaryotic cells have. Prokaryotic cells have three basic parts: a cell membrane, genetic material, and ribosomes. The function of the cell membrane is to protect the bacterial cell and provide it with structure, the genetic material directs the cell’s daily activities, and the ribosomes allow the cell to produce protein that gives the cells their specific structure and function (“Prokaryotes: Single-Celled Organisms,” 2013). Bacteria come in three different shapes. You are able to tell the shape of a bacterium based on its name. Bacteria with “cocci” in their name are round shaped bacteria; these bacteria look like spherical balls. “Spirilla” (or –i, -u,) denote spiral shaped bacteria, like spirals. “Bacilli” are bacteria that have a rod, or straight shape. Bacteria are able to cause disease by releasing poisons that kill or damage our body cells. The dying of our cells is what causes us to feel ill. Bacteria are able to reproduce very quickly in the right conditions through a process called binary fission (binary means two, fission means to split into). Bacterial growth is called exponential growth—one bacteria becomes two, two becomes four, four becomes eight and so on. As more bacteria are produced, more toxins are released into the body, making a person feel more ill. Some examples of diseases caused by bacteria are food poisoning, cholera, typhoid, bubonic plague (“Defending Against Infection,” 2013). In 1928 Alexander Fleming, a Scottish biologist, discovered the antibiotic penicillin. Through his continued experiments Fleming learned that penicillin was not simply a topical antiseptic, but a medicine that could actually work inside the body that could stop the spread of bacterial infections by killing bacteria (Ollhoff, 2010, pp. 27-29).While bacteria are small, viruses are even smaller. Viruses are so small in fact, that they are able to infect bacterial cells. Viruses, like bacteria come in many shapes—balls, bullets, rods, and even tiny little robots! Many scientists argue about whether viruses should be considered living things. Most scientists classify a living organism as something that requires energy (from a food source), responds to its environment, and is able to reproduce. Technically speaking, viruses do none of that. Viruses are simply genetic material, either DNA or RNA, wrapped inside a protein coat. Viruses have no other parts. They lack mitochondria so do not convert food to the energy a cell uses to survive. They also do not reproduce on their own. Viruses cannot reproduce without infecting a host cell. In order for a virus to replicate it invades a cell, inserts its own genetic material inside the host’s DNA and tricks the cell into making more virus parts and pieces that the cell then uses to build more viruses. Once the virus turns on the virus-making machine inside the cell the cell is unable to turn it off. The cell continues to make more and more copies of the virus until the cell explodes. The virus copies burst free from the host cell and are able to infect more cells, perpetuating the cycle (Biskup, 2009, pp. 11-12).While bacteria cause illness by releasing toxins into the surrounding cells, viruses cause illness by killing cells when they trick them into becoming virus-making factories. Over and over the cells die until your body begins to feel sick. Most viruses are cell-specific. This means they only attack certain specific types of cells, for example the virus that causes the common cold reproduces in the cells of the nose and throat. This is because the viruses have an outer protein coat that “unlocks” the cell, tricking the cell into letting the virus inside, giving it the ability to force the cell into replicating virus parts (Biskup, 2009, 13-15). Examples of diseases caused by viruses are: chickenpox, smallpox, and AIDS. Since viruses are not considered to be living things we have no medicine, like antibiotics, that can kill them (you can’t kill something that’s not alive). Our main method of defense against viral infections is vaccination. Vaccinations give your immune system a peak at what viruses look like, this lets them identify them and quickly go to work trying to collect them and destroy them.Fungi are a third type of microbe. There are many different types of fungi: those that look like black slime in your bathroom walls, the kind that grow off the side of trees, even the mushrooms you eat are all types of fungus. Mold on bread and the yeast that makes bread rise are also types of fungi. The penicillin we use to treat bacterial infections comes from a fungus (Ollhoff, 2010, p. 10). Fungi are eukaryotic, meaning they have a nucleus that contains the genetic material of the cell. Most fungi are multicellular, meaning that many cells make up one fungus organism, however some fungi are unicellular (yeast for example). Fungi that cause disease in humans are known as pathogenic fungi. They are able to cause disease by either releasing toxins, or using the tissue as a food source. The treatment of fungal infections is a bit trickier than the treatment of bacteria. Because bacteria are not the same type of cell as human cells (bacteria are prokaryotic and human cells are eukaryotic) we are able to create medicines (antibiotics) that target the bacterial cell. Fungal cells, however, are also eukaryotic cells, so in trying to cure fungal infections, often time body cells are often damaged (“Fungi as Human Pathogens”). Fungal infections are rarely deadly (most, in fact are just annoying infections like Athlete’s Foot), but some, like convulsive egotism can be quite serious.Epidemiology is the study of disease. Specifically what causes disease and the patterns one might find in the spread of disease. It is through the tracking of disease that scientists are able to predict what forms of disease might be prevalent during a specific year (as in the case of creating influenza vaccines) or determining “patient zero” (the initial patient in an outbreak of a disease) in order to determine what population of people might be affected by an illness. There are several organizations that are responsible for tracking disease both in our country and the world. Two of these organizations are the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO). The CDC and WHO are both organizations that track epidemics (the spread of disease in one specific area) and pandemics (the worldwide spread of disease). An epidemic, or outbreak, occurs when a large number of people in one area are stricken with the same disease. This group of people is known as a cluster. Epidemiologists, scientists who study these outbreaks, assume that these cases are all related to each other and try to find the connecting thread. When epidemiologists first learn about an outbreak they begin to collect as much data as possible: the who, the what, the when, and the where of each situation. This information allows them to see connections. Epidemiologists then use mathematical models to create projections of the spread of a disease. Once the scientists know what microbe is causing the disease, how and how quickly the disease is spreading, they’re ready to inform the public about what to do if they suspect that they have been infected. Each day epidemiologists engage in a race against time to collect data, identify disease, predict infection patterns, and save lives. Although microbes are incredibly small, they have truly had a huge impact on human history. While some microbes are harmless others are truly powerful. Scientists are constantly battling the small, yet powerful force of the germ.ReferencesBBC—GCSE Bite size (2013). Defending against infection. Retrieved from 183 Introductory Biology 2 (2013). Prokaryotes: Single-Celled Organisms. Retrieved from , A. (2009). Understanding Viruses with Max Axiom. Mankato: Capstone Press.Grady, D. (2006) Deadly invaders: virus outbreaks around the world, from Marburg Fever to Avian Flu. Boston, Ma: Kingfisher Publications.Matossian, M.K. 1989. Poisons of the Past: Molds, Epidemics and History. New Haven: Yale University PressMiedema, K. (2011). Diseases/History. Retrieved from Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease. (2012). Microbes. Retrieved from , J. (2010). A History of Germs: What Are Germs? Edina: ABDO Publishing CompanyScience Museum of Minnesota. Infectious Diseases Through Time. Retrieved from , J (2006). Pox, Pus & Plague: A History of Disease and Infection. Chicago: Raintree Publishing.Wong, G. Ergot of Rye-I: Introduction and History. Retrieved from , G. Fungi As Human Pathogens. Retrieved from TO THE THEMEPower is the ability to effect change. Power is not dependent on size or stature, but on the effect that the power has. For instance one, small cancer cell has the power to change lives. In the same step one small bacteria cell has the ability to shape a culture and change history.Power can be a positive or negative force. It can be a constructive force and institute positive change, like the formation of penicillin from mold or it can be a destructive force that can tear a society apart, for example the suspected convulsive ergotism that caused the Salem Witch Trials. In this unit, students will ponder the question “Is power related to size?” In an interactive unit on disease. Students will also learn how they can take power back in their lives and protect themselves against disease in very simple ways.TECHNOLOGY INTEGRATIONDisease Detectives: Battling the Yuck starts day one with interactive technology and interesting resources. First, students will be introduced to Glow-germ and black lights. Glow-germ is a product that is put on your hands to show how well or in some cases, not so well how the students have washed their hands. This is a great way to show just how prevalent germs and bacteria can be. The rationale behind using Glow-germ is that it jumps the students right into the “yuck” of germs. Next, students will use a digital circle map using Thinking Maps to brainstorm where the most germs would be lurking in a school. After this, the students will be going on a walking field trip to swab and collect cultures in fast acting petri dishes of the places they felt would have the most germs and bacteria. Daily, students will be using iPads to take pictures and use Weebly to blog and track their observations. The first blog will focus on where they chose to swab and why. Making a picture journal and blog is an interactive way students can write about the cultures they have created. These observations and pictures can also be used in the culminating activity for day four. In addition, as the cultures grow, students will use Microscopes to track the growth of certain cultures. Video clips, YouTube, and pictures will be used daily to hook the student’s attention for the daily lesson. For example, a video cartoon may be used about microbes on day two will introduce the differences between bacteria, virus, and fungus. In addition, on day two, students will use various research sites such as Instagrok, Discovery Education, Infotopia, and NC Wise Owl to begin research and collect information on a disease that may relate to the symptoms of the Zombie Outbreak for the culminating project for day four. On day one, a clip from the hit television show Grey’s Anatomy will be used to introduce patient zero. The students will participate in a Patient Zero activity/lab. This is a lab that looks at the process of how microscopic a microbe can really be by re-creating the example of the glove and water seen in the Grey’s Anatomy clip. Students will play roles and investigate the Zombie outbreak at AIG camp by following the rules of behavior of different societal stereotypes to track how the disease has been passed. They will create and track this investigation using a visual representation (disease board). Students will use technology to write a reaction journal to this activity and their feelings on what it could be like to be patient zero. Students will also have access to iPads and will be able to “Solve the Outbreak” using the CDCs educational app (enrichment) or . This fun game will help them track down diseases and use their newly learned detecting skills! The culminating project is going to be a Public Service Announcement (PSA) on how the Zombie disease spread and what people can do to protect themselves. Using the research done on previous days, students write a rough draft, then using the iPads upload these to the Weebly. Students will also be introduced to iBuild an app or to create an informational app to Battle the Yuck against the Zombies (or to give more rigor a disease of their choice.) Overall, Disease Detectives: Battling the Yuck will be rigorous four days, full of fun yet appropriate technology so that students will have a true understanding of disease and epidemiology. Essential Question: Is power related to size?Lesson 1: Discovering the Yuck!Microbes cause outbreaks. An outbreak is a term used in epidemiology to describe an occurrence of disease greater than would otherwise be expected at a particular time and place. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire continent.Examples of most common causes of communicable disease: bacteria, virus, and fungus.1. Viruses cause HIV, influenza, the common cold, HPV, small pox, chicken pox. They infect by inserting their DNA and forcing a cell to replicate the virus parts. 2. Bacteria: cause Lyme disease, tuberculosis, and tetanus. Infect by producing poisons that kills surrounding cells. 3. Parasites: malaria (protist), dysentery (protist), athletes foot (fungus) 4. Contagions: disease-causing agents that cause spreadable diseases 5. Mutagens: Cause mutations in the DNA that cause disease (these are not spreadable).Diseases prefer to live in warm, wet, unclean conditions.Bacteria reproduce by dividing in half (one becomes two, two becomes four, etc.)Microbes are spread through physical contact, touching contaminated objects, unsanitary practices. The term "contamination" is sometimes used to describe accidental transfers of organisms from one natural environment to another. Make effective observations using the scientific method A scientific experiment involves many steps, including: 1. Observe, State Experimental Questions?- After observing a phenomenon, you may wonder what is happening, and what caused it to happen. Write down your observations and your questions. 2. Gather Information?- Do background investigation on the phenomenon you are interested in. Find out what is known about it already. 3. Formulate a Hypothesis?- Write a statement that predicts what may happen in your experiment based on your knowledge and data from other experiments. 4. Design an Experiment to Test Your Hypothesis?- Determine a logical set of steps to be followed in your experiment.a. Independent/Experimental Variable?- Determine or guess which factors could affect the phenomenon you are studying. The experimental variable is the one variable the investigator chooses to vary in the experiment. 5. Perform the Experiment 6. Collect Data?- Record the results of the investigation in a table or chart. 7. Summarize Results?- Analyze the data and note trends in your experimental results. 8. Draw Conclusions?- Determine whether or not the data support the hypothesis of your experiment.Equipment/Lab set-up:1. Safe lab collection methods, use of sterile Q-tip, and storing of agar plate upside on tray.1. Place your initials, date and sample location along the bottom perimeter of the dish, NOT in the middle. 2. When you and your partner are ready, come up and get your sterile Q-tips and.? Be very careful not to open Q-tip until at the location that will be swabbed. 3. When you arrive at the site, carefully open your jar (like Pac Man) and lightly rub your Q-tip across the agar on your side of the dish. 4. Tape the dish shut. 5. Return to class and place your petri dish upside down on the tray.?We will examine the dishes daily while at camp. CAUTION: Be very careful not to open the Petri dishes of sterile agar while handling them.Lesson 2: Microbes, Microbes Everywhere!Bacteria:Typically a few micrometers in length, bacteria have a wide range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals. Bacteria were among the first life forms to appear on Earth, and are present in most habitats on the planet. Viruses: Is an invasive biological agent that reproduces inside the cells of living hosts. When infected by a virus, a host cell is forced to produce many thousands of identical copies of the original virus, at an extraordinary rate.Unlike most living things, viruses do not have cells that divide; new viruses are assembled in the infected host cell. Over 5,000 species of viruses have been discovered.Viruses vary in shape from the simple helical (helix) and icosahedral (20 triangular faces, 30 edges and 12 vertices) to more complex structures. Viruses are about 1/100 the size of bacteria; it would take 30,000 to 750,000 of them, side by side, to stretch to 1 centimeterC. Fungi: 1. Is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds as well as the more familiar mushrooms. 2. Cells of most fungi grow as tubular, elongated, and thread-like (filamentous) structures and are called hyphae, which may contain multiple nuclei and extend at their tips.B. Epidemiological investigation: () 1. Outbreaks can be traced back to their sources. 2. The Centers for Disease Control and other health organizations work to protect citizens from the spread of disease. 3. Asking good questions is how the CDC is able to track disease. D. Cultures are usually examined after 24-hour incubation. Liquid media?such as broth become?cloudy?if bacteria are present. This could be the result of only one bacterial cell originally entering the medium, and then dividing repeatedly to produce millions!Bacteria on agar "plates" become visible as distinct circular?colonies; each colony should represent an individual bacterial cell (or group) that has divided repeatedly but, being kept in one place, the resulting cells have accumulated to form a visible patch.Lesson 3: Zombies, Zombies Everywhere!Continue Zombie Outbreak at AIG Camp Review roles and responsibilities of a Disease Detective. a. Like investigators at the scene of a crime, disease detectives begin by looking for clues and gathering information about what happened. b. Disease detectives have various jobs and may work in different places, such as in laboratories where they look for viruses, or bacteria in blood samples, or in public locations where an unknown outbreak is occurring. c. CDC's?Epidemic Intelligence Service?(EIS) officers are elite global health sleuths. EIS officers are epidemiologists, statisticians, veterinarians and doctors. d. In the event of a suspected disease outbreak, they are called on to answer key questions: what is causing people to get sick? How can we prevent disease from spreading and how can we prevent another outbreak? They are on CDC′s front lines, working 24/7 to save lives and protect people from health threats.?Review Tracking an Epidemiological Outbreak and prevention of outbreaks.Brainstorm ways of setting up visual representation to track the breakout data: Storyboard, Tree-map, Charts B. Begin creation of the informational an app that will help inform others on how to prevent an Outbreak during summer camp.List a description of the symptoms and source of the disease.Explain how to creativity kill the disease yet save the campers. Direct the community on ways to help with research or raise funds and alleviate further outbreaks in the future.IV. Lesson 4: It’s All About Prevention!A. Discuss five diseases that mask themselves like actual “zombie disease.” Sleeping sickness, Rabies, Necrosis, Dysarthria, Leprosy.B. Calculate the reproductive potential of bacteria and finalize the Interactive Blogs.Identify colonies in their cultures by color and sizeState a final claim on which area has the most “yuck” and hypothesize as to why this school area has the most germs.Devise possible solutions to fix this gross problem.Finalize hypothesis and “cure” to help warn the AIG camp and community of the outbreak and how to prevent further contamination.C. Finalize creation of the informational app that will help inform others on how to prevent an Outbreak during summer camp.LESSON #1DISCOVERING THE YUCK!I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTLESSON OBJECTIVEStudents will hypothesize and discover where the most germ-ridden areas of the school can be found and will learn how to safely collect samples to test their hypotheses.POINT TO PONDERWhen an area is sanitized there are no germs.ESSENTIAL QUESTIONIs “not dirty” the same thing as “clean”?Why is it important to make and follow a written plan or procedure?CONTENTOutline the content you will teach in this lesson. Lesson 1:A. Outbreaks are caused by microbes. An outbreak is a term used in epidemiology to describe an occurrence of disease greater than would otherwise be expected at a particular time and place. It may affect a small and localized group or impact upon thousands of people across an entire continent.B. Examples of most common causes of communicable disease: bacteria, virus, and fungus.1. Viruses cause HIV, influenza, the common cold, HPV, small pox, chicken pox. They infect by inserting their DNA and forcing a cell to replicate the virus parts.2. Bacteria: cause Lyme disease, tuberculosis, and tetanus. Infect by producing poisons that kill surrounding cells.3. Parasites: malaria (protist), dysentery (protist), athletes foot (fungus)4. Contagions: disease causing agents that cause spreadable diseases5. Mutagens: Cause mutations in the DNA that cause disease (these are not spreadable).C. Diseases prefer to live in warm, wet, unclean conditions.D. Bacteria reproduce by dividing in half (one becomes two, two becomes four, etc.)E. Microbes are spread through physical contact, touching contaminated objects, unsanitary practices. The term "contamination" is sometimes used to describe accidental transfers of organisms from one natural environment to another. F. Make effective observations using the scientific methodA scientific experiment involves many steps, including:1. Observe, State Experimental Questions?- After observing a phenomenon, you may wonder what is happening, and what caused it to happen. Write down your observations and your questions.2. Gather Information?- Do background investigation on the phenomenon you are interested in. Find out what is known about it already.3. Formulate a Hypothesis?- Write a statement that predicts what may happen in your experiment based on your knowledge and data from other experiments. 4. Design an Experiment to Test Your Hypothesis?– Determine a logical set of steps to be followed in your experiment.Independent/Experimental Variable?- Determine or guess which factors could affect the phenomenon you are studying. The experimental variable is the one variable the investigator chooses to vary in the experiment. 5. Perform the Experiment6. Collect Data?- Record the results of the investigation in a table or chart.7. Summarize Results?- Analyze the data and note trends in your experimental results.8. Draw Conclusions?- Determine whether or not the data support the hypothesis of your experiment.G. Equipment/Lab set-up:1. Safe lab collection methods, use of sterile Q-tip, and storing of agar plate upside on tray. 1. Place your initials, date and sample location along the bottom perimeter of the dish, NOT in the middle. 2. When you and your partner are ready, come up and get your sterile Q-tips and.? Be very careful not to open Q-tip until at the location that will be swabbed. 3. When you arrive at the site, carefully open your jar (like Pac Man) and lightly rub your Q-tip across the agar on your side of the dish. 4. Tape the dish shut. 5. Return to class and place your petri dish upside down on the tray.?We will examine the dishes daily while at camp. CAUTION: Be very careful not to open the Petri dishes of sterile agar while handling them.II. PLANNING: KNOW / UNDERSTAND / DOWhat 3 items are worth knowing? (Think about the content you have selected. What is important for students to KNOW?)After the lesson, Students will KNOW that germs can pass quickly through a population.Students will KNOW that the “eyeball test” isn’t sufficient in judging who could be infected with a disease. Students will KNOW that just because something looks clean, doesn’t mean it really is.What are the enduring understandings that students should take away from the lesson? (Define the BIG Ideas.)After the lesson,Students will UNDERSTAND that disease can have serious, life-long implications.Students will UNDERSTAND that they have the power to protect themselves against disease.Students will UNDERSTAND that protection and prevention are quick and easy and can be life-saving.What 3 items are important for students to be able to DO?(Define what students should be able to DO as a result of your lesson.)After the lesson,Students should be able to predict and hypothesize the most germ- ridden areas in a school.Students should be able to collect samples correctly using a swab and agar dish.Students should be able to blog using correct format about the cultures collected using descriptive words and phrasesIII. PLANNINGHOOKDescribe how you will grab students’ attention at the beginning of the lesson. Be CREATIVE.TIME: 15 minutesThe teacher will stand at the door greeting some students with a handshake and others with just a nod. Unbeknownst to the students Betsey will have Glow-germ on her hands. Once all students have been welcomed and are seated Betsey will begin to introduce the unit for camp. I will ask a fellow student to bring a note or burst into the room exclaiming that an outbreak has just happened and we must do a quick test of the students to make sure they have not been infected. Using a black light the teacher will “test” the students. Only a few of the students should test positive (glow under the black light) based on whether or not they shook the teacher’s hand—or handled something the teacher handled.This will introduce disease transmission can happen as easily as a simple handshake.INSTRUCTIONExplain Step-by-step what you will do in this lesson. Include ALL support and teaching materials with your unit. TIME: 45 minutes1. Students will review about the different types of microbes and learn how powerful and small a microbe can be by watching a scene from Grey’s Anatomy on the transmission of a MRSA strand from a doctor to her patients. This scene will also introduce the Center for Disease Control and the power they have when an outbreak occurs.2. Students will work in groups, then using a circle map, sticky notes on the circle map poster to hypothesize where they think the most germ-infested areas of the school are. From this, students will discuss the census and construct a “priority list” of the “yuckiest” places in school.3. Students will discuss the proper ways to collect samples using a swab and agar plate. Then after placed in groups of two, (depending on the number of students in classes) in each group will choose two places around the school they would like to swab to grow cultures. The teacher will make sure all the places on the priority list are chosen and swabbed by the students.4. Students will go on a “field trip” around the school to swab their sites. Students will swab using a Q-tip and agar plate. They’ll take a picture of the swab site prior to using the Q-tip to swab, then carefully swab site and seal their agar plate.When students return to the classroom, students will begin their observations using a Google site. They will upload pictures of their two sites and petri dishes. Then students will log in to diseasedetectives. and go to the link for the shared Google site and answer the following questions: Why did you choose this location? What predictions can you make about your cultures? Of the two spots you cultured which one do you think will grow the fastest and why? Writing Criteria for Success: The Google site will include…Questions answered completely using descriptive words and phrases. Complete sentences and thoughts, and correct grammar, punctuation, and spelling.ASSESSMENT(Performance Task) What will the students DO to demonstrate that they have mastered the content? Be specific and include actual assessment with unit materials. TIME: 5 minutesExit Ticket on a notecard:Based on the how the MRSA was transmitted by the doctor, why is it important that hospitals have protocols in place to alleviate this from happening on a daily basis?DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENTS HAVE MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE? YESASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALSInsert ALL materials here including Assessments and Instructional Materials.Explicitly LIST any additional files for this lesson. Be sure that ALL materials have been submitted for this lesson. will watch the first minute then 31:48-40:14(Circle Map Template on next page)Student Google Site as well as most of the unit resources can be found on our Weebly site: #2MICROBES, MICROBES, EVERYWHERE!I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTLESSON OBJECTIVEStudents will recognize the difference between various microbes.Students will work in collaborative teams to wage war against the Zombie Outbreak at AIG camp. POINT TO PONDERActions do speak louder than words.ESSENTIAL QUESTIONHow can something so small and powerful have such a huge impact in global society? Do the actions of one outweigh the safety of many?CONTENTOutline the content you will teach in this lesson. Lesson 2:A. Bacteria: 1. Typically a few micrometers in length, bacteria have a wide-range of shapes, ranging from spheres to rods and spirals. 2. Bacteria were among the first life forms to appear on Earth and are present in most habitats on the planet. B. Viruses: 1. Is an invasive biological agent that reproduces inside the cells of living hosts. When infected by a virus, a host cell is forced to produce many thousands of identical copies of the original virus, at an extraordinary rate. 2. Unlike most living things, viruses do not have cells that divide new viruses are assembled in the infected host cell 3. Over 5,000 species of viruses have been discovered. 4. Viruses vary in shape from the simple helical (helix) (20 triangular faces, 30 edges and 12 vertices) complex structures. Viruses are about 1/100 the size of bacteria; it would take 30,000 to 750,000 of them, side by side to stretch to 1 centimeter.C. Fungi: 1. Is a member of a large group of eukaryotic organisms that includes microorganisms such as yeasts and molds as well as the more familiar mushrooms. 2. Cells of most fungi grow as tubular, elongated, and thread- like (filamentous) structures and are called hyphae, which may contain multiple nuclei and extend at their tips.D. Epidemiological investigation: () 1. Outbreaks can be traced back to their sources. 2. The Centers for Disease Control and other health organizations work to protect citizens from the spread of disease. 3. Asking good questions is how the CDC is able to track disease.F. Cultures are usually examined after 24-hour incubation. Liquid media?such as broth become?cloudy?if bacteria are present. 1. This could be the result of only one bacterial cell originally entering the medium, and then dividing repeatedly to produce millions!2. Bacteria on agar "plates" become visible as distinct circular?colonies; each colony should represent an individual bacterial cell (or group) which have divided repeatedly but, being kept in one place, the resulting cells have accumulated to form a visible patch.II. PLANNING: KNOW / UNDERSTAND / DOWhat 3 items are worth knowing? (Think about the content you have selected. What is important for students to KNOW?)After the lesson, Students will KNOW that microbes are powerful yet tiny living (or nonliving) things.Students will KNOW that symptoms can be used to track the spread of disease.Students will KNOW that diseases can spread VERY quickly if favorable conditions are present.What are the enduring understandings that students should take away from the lesson? (Define the BIG Ideas.)After the lesson, Students will UNDERSTAND that the health of many can be dependent on the actions of few.Students will UNDERSTAND that the correct way to map out and investigate an epidemiological investigation.Students will UNDERSTAND that microbes are TINY and impossible to see with the naked eye, so we need to practice prevention!What 3 items are important for students to be able to DO?(Define what students should be able to DO as a result of your lesson.)After the lesson,Students should be able to understand and develop questions that would be helpful in tracking a disease.Students should be able to identify factors that would promote the spread of disease.Students should be able to explain how powerful The Center of Disease and Control (CDC) and the importance of protection from the spread of disease.III. PLANNINGHOOKDescribe how you will grab students’ attention at the beginning of the lesson. Be CREATIVE.TIME: 10 minutes Status report for Zombie Outbreak: An increasing number of students and their families are disappearing, especially at night. These victims are reappearing at camp as perpetrators. They are slow moving, very strong. They are impervious to pain/injury and appear to be unaware of their surroundings. We’ve discovered that after the victims disappear, they reappear without human blood. Without blood flow, these perpetrators freeze quickly. We believe this is why they are headed to camp –to warmer temperatures and warm-hearted AIG teachers. They are constantly hungry and attacking at an alarming rate.We’re currently trying to figure out how to stop them, but a defensive stand of is not a long-term solution. What we need to figure out is how this virus originally infected the first victims.Here’s what we do know. All of the victims attended an AIG Summer Camp in Pitt County. These students attended the camp activities one of which was a field trip to the Pitt County Fair, in which some of their families attended. We’ve collected interviews, but haven’t had time to review them for consistencies.What we need from you, The “Discovering the Yuck” agents or the DTY is a thorough investigation. We need to know the root cause of this virus in order to create a vaccine to stop the growing mass of those infected. INSTRUCTIONTIME: 50 minutes 1. Students will become Disease Detectives due to a Zombie Outbreak at AIG Camp. Students will be given the status report and goal of the Zombie Outbreak at camp. They will review the importance of the CDC (handout) and how to investigate an epidemiological investigation.Students will begin with an hypothesis based on the status report then if times allows begin to review the interviews of people involved in the outbreak.2. Students will be given an anticipation guide with statements about virus, bacteria, and fungus. With a partner students will discuss which they feel are fact and which are fiction. Next, students will be given a handout with information in which they will find out the whether the statements were fact vs. fiction.3. Students will observe and write about the cultures.ASSESSMENT(Performance Task) What will the students DO to demonstrate that they have mastered the content? Be specific and include actual assessment with unit materials. TIME: 5 minutesExit Ticket on notecard:What hypothesis can you make thus far based on the interviews and information tracked so far in the Zombie outbreak?DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENTS HAVE MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE? YESASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALSInsert ALL materials here including Assessments and Instructional Materials.Explicitly LIST any additional files for this lesson. Be sure that ALL materials have been submitted for this lesson. What are germs? Guide in resources on website. Teacher-made handout on germs Outbreak Lesson Plan SEE END OF UNITLESSON #3DISEASE ON THE RUN!Zombies, Zombies Everywhere!I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTLESSON OBJECTIVEStudents will work in teams to solve the Zombie Outbreak at AIG camp.Students will create a press release based on the findings of the Zombie Outbreak to warn others on safety and prevention of further outbreak.Students will create an app or video game showing powerful an outbreak can be and solutions others can use prevent the spread of the Zombie outbreak or a disease of choice.POINT TO PONDERNot only are we responsible for our own health, we are responsible for the health of others.ESSENTIAL QUESTIONHow do communicate the powerful results of our investigations to others?Why do some people get sick, while others are remaining healthy?CONTENTOutline the content you will teach in this lesson. Lesson 3:A. Continue Zombie Outbreak at AIG Camp 1. Review roles and responsibilities of a Disease Detective.a. Like investigators at the scene of a crime, disease detectives begin by looking for clues and gathering information about what happened. b. Disease detectives have various jobs and may work in different places, such as in laboratories where they look for viruses, or bacteria in blood samples, or in public locations where an unknown outbreak is occurring. c. CDC's?Epidemic Intelligence Service?(EIS) officers are elite global health sleuths.EIS officers are epidemiologists, statisticians, veterinarians and doctors. d. In the event of a suspected disease outbreak, they are called on to answer key questions: what is causing people to get sick? How can we prevent disease from spreading and how can we prevent another outbreak? They are on CDC′s front lines, working 24/7 to save lives and protect people from health threats.?B. Review Tracking an Epidemiological Outbreak and prevention of outbreaks.C. Brainstorm ways of setting up visual representation to track the breakout data: Storyboard, Tree-map, and Charts.D. Begin creation of the informational an app that will help inform others on how to prevent an Outbreak during summer camp.1. List a description of the symptoms and source of the disease.2. Explain how to creativity kill the disease yet save the campers. 3. Direct the community on ways to help with research or raise funds and alleviate further outbreaks in the future.II. PLANNING: KNOW / UNDERSTAND / DOWhat 3 items are worth knowing? (Think about the content you have selected. What is important for students to KNOW?)After the lesson, Students will KNOW that communicable diseases spread quickly through populations.Students will KNOW what conditions are conducive to the spread of disease.Students will KNOW what makes an effective informational app for an iPad or iPhone.What are the enduring understandings that students should take away from the lesson? (Define the BIG Ideas.)After the lesson,Students will UNDERSTAND that they are responsible for the own health and protection against the spread of disease.Students will UNDERSTAND that simple measures are able to keep you from getting sick.Students will UNDERSTAND that the carelessness of a sick person or thing can cause illness in many, many others.What 3 items are important for students to be able to DO?(Define what students should be able to DO as a result of your lesson.)After the lesson,Students should be able to draw logical conclusions from data in the investigation to take a stance about how to stop the Zombie outbreak. Students should be able to use correct format and effective language (strong voice in the severity of an outbreak) in the informational app. Students should be able to draft and begin creating an app that will help the public with future outbreaks of a chosen disease. III. PLANNINGHOOKDescribe how you will grab students’ attention at the beginning of the lesson. Be CREATIVE.TIME 5 minutesStudents will participate in a quick online quiz to test their knowledge about bacteria on National Geographic’s website. This quiz has great facts and will reinforce day two. Step-by-step what you will do in this lesson. Include ALL support and teaching materials with your unit. TIME: 60 minutes1. Students will brainstorm ways diseases can be prevented using prior knowledge of the subject. Then in groups of two, students will jigsaw read and report about the prevention of disease.2. Students will begin with a hypothesis based on the status report of the Zombie outbreak then begin to review the interviews of people involved in the outbreak. Students will track information on a chart provided then decide as a team how this information will be tracked using a visual representation.3. Students will work together to determine how this powerfully mysterious disease is being spread as well as how it is being spread and by whom.4. Students will be given the format and the necessary information that should be included in their informational app using iBuild an app. Handout with step by step instructions are linked to Weebly.5. Students will blog about cultures making sure to note any observations and changes using descriptive words and phrases. ASSESSMENTTIME: 5 minutesAt the end of today’s blog answer the following:Speculate how life would be today if we did not have epidemiologists and the CDC or other health organizations?DOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENTS HAVE MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE? ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALSInsert ALL materials here including Assessments and Instructional Materials.Explicitly LIST any additional files for this lesson. Be sure that ALL materials have been submitted for this lesson. Criteria handout for informational App (on website) and prevention handouts (on website) #4It’s All About Prevention!I. DEFINE OBJECTIVES AND CONTENTLESSON OBJECTIVEStudents will finalize observations on cultures and finalize their Google Doc.Students will be able to effectively inform society by creating an informational app of the dangers of the diseases, outbreaks, and ways to prevent further contamination.POINT TO PONDERThe media's the most powerful entity on earth. They have the power to make the innocent guilty and to make the guilty innocent, and that's power. Because they control the minds of the masses.Malcolm XRelate this to outbreaks and how society acts due to an outbreak H1N1 bird flu or SARSESSENTIAL QUESTIONHow can one person effectively get their message across to society?What are the responsibilities of the individual/society in regard to the health of others?How can investigations help us to predict the nature of objects and systems that we cannot see?CONTENTOutline the content you will teach in this lesson. IV. Lesson 4:A. Discuss five diseases that mask themselves like actual “zombie disease.” Sleeping sickness, Rabies, Necrosis, Dysarthria, and LeprosyB. Calculate the reproductive potential of bacteria and finalize the Interactive Blogs.1. Identify colonies in their cultures by color and size2. State a final claim on which area has the most “yuck” and hypothesize as to why this school area has the most germs.3. Devise possible solutions to fix this gross problem.C. Finalize hypothesis and “cure” to help warn the AIG camp and the community of the outbreak and how to prevent further contamination.D. Finalize creation of the informational an app that will help inform others on how to prevent an Outbreak during summer camp.II. PLANNING: KNOW / UNDERSTAND / DOWhat 3 items are worth knowing? (Think about the content you have selected. What is important for students to KNOW?)After the lesson, Students will KNOW what techniques are appropriate for application building to inform the public of disease outbreaks and prevention.Students will KNOW the power of a single microbe.Students will KNOW that language has the power to persuade others to be safe when an outbreak occurs.What are the enduring understandings that students should take away from the lesson? (Define the BIG Ideas.)After the lesson,Students will UNDERSTAND the importance of effectively conveying health and safety information to the public through the use of mass media and technology (app building).Students will UNDERSTAND that persuasive speaking and messages are important in public health safety (in the case of people getting vaccines, etc.).Students will UNDERSTAND that powerful emotions are attached arguments in order to convince people to take action.What 3 items are important for students to be able to DO?(Define what students should be able to DO as a result of your lesson.)After the lesson,Students should be able to identify colonies and observe bacterial growth.Students should be able to identify conditions conducive to disease and the effectiveness of the media to get important information out to the public.Students should be able to state solid conclusions and claims as to how the Zombie outbreak happened and positive solutions to alleviate further outbreaks.III. PLANNINGHOOKDescribe how you will grab students’ attention at the beginning of the lesson. Be CREATIVE.TIME: 15 minutesStudents will finalize their interactive Google doc with the cultures that were taken at the beginning of camp. The final questions to be answered are: Where was the yuckiest place in school? Why do you think this? Did this connect with the hypothesis made at the beginning of the week?What could be done to make this area less contaminated? (Questions will be on the site for the students to answer).INSTRUCTIONExplain Step-by-step what you will do in this lesson. Include ALL support and teaching materials with your unit. TIME: 65 minutes1. Students will finalize the visual representation of the Zombie Outbreak with final conclusions linking the outbreak to a disease of the past.2. Students will complete their informational app informing the public on how to be safe and alleviate and further outbreaks then upload to Weebly.ASSESSMENT(Performance Task) What will the students DO to demonstrate that they have mastered the content? Be specific and include actual assessment with unit materials. TIME: Remainder of classCompletion of final activities: Google site and informational appDOES THE ASSESSMENT ALLOW YOU TO DETERMINE WHETHER OR NOT THE STUDENTS HAVE MET YOUR STATED LESSON OBJECTIVE? YES ASSESSMENT AND INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALSInsert ALL materials here including Assessments and Instructional Materials.Explicitly LIST any additional files for this lesson. Be sure that ALL materials have been submitted for this lesson. are going to create an informational app to help society understand and prevent further outbreaks of disease. Follow the steps provided in creating your App:1. Go to on Educationclick on “I am an existing user...”Login: betseywhite@greene.k12.nc.usPassword: disease1233. Click on Create An App4. Create a name for your App5. Then decide the types of pages you will want. Lists, simple pages, news pages are the best choices for this app.6. When app is created, use the Edit menu to add/edit your information for your app.FYI: Customize goes into your colors, banners, and changing your icons...FUN!Criteria for Informational App for Disease Prevention:Page One: Microbes/Zombie Like diseasesYou are responsible for describing how viruses, bacteria, and fungi infect and impact the human body. You may want to focus on the similarities and differences of these microbes and the real diseases that show signs of a “possible” zombie outbreak.Page Two: PreventionYou are to list and explain 5 ways to prevent any type of a disease. Page Three: Survival ListYou are to list the necessary survival gear to survive a zombie outbreak OR any outbreak that could occur in this area.Page Four: Creative ways to prevent an OutbreakUse creativity and logic to come up with three or more ways to prevent an outbreak from happening during AIG Camp.Page Five: Your turn!This page is for facts, pictures, or any other information to make your app complete. Helpful Websites to add to your information: related to Zombie Outbreaks: Detectives: Zombie Outbreak at AIG Summer CampAIG Summer Camp: Zombie OutbreakGoal: Figure out how the Zombie virus was originally transmitted and what hypothesis might explain how it happened investigating this outbreak then by create and release a press release to warn and prevent further Zombie outbreaks in summer camp.Status Report: (Read to students)An increasing number of students and their families are disappearing, especially at night. These victims are reappearing at camp as perpetrators. They are slow-moving, very strong. They are impervious to pain/injury and appear to be unaware of their surroundings. We’ve discovered that after the victims disappear, they reappear without human blood. Without blood flow, these perpetrators freeze quickly. We believe this is why they are headed to camp –to warmer temperatures and warm-hearted AIG teachers. They are constantly hungry and attacking at an alarming rate.We’re currently trying to figure out how to stop them, but a defensive stand of is not a long-term solution. What we need to figure out is how this virus originally infected the first victims.Here’s what we do know. All of the victims attended a AIG Summer Camp in Pitt County. These students attended the camp activities one of which was a field trip to the Pitt County Fair, in which some of their families attended. We’ve collected interviews, but haven’t had time to review them for consistencies.What we need from you, The “Discovering the Yuck” agents or the DTY, is a thorough investigation. We need to know the root cause of this virus in order to create a vaccine to stop the growing mass of those infected.LESSONHave the students listen to or take on the role of one of the collected interviews from camp attendees and their families on the following pages (10 total). With this exercise, the students will be conducting an investigation into what the infected attendees have in common. Did they all have a corn dog at fair? Did they attend the same activities?Have students create an 11x11 square graph, or use the one included in this lesson.When listening to the interviews, instruct the students to mark an X to correspond with the infected person and the camp activity that they participated in that day. Using this information, students will conduct an Epidemiological Investigation using the ten steps to help form the hypothesis and cure of the Zombie outbreak.Note: All of the infected victims will have their stories told by someone else (family member/friend), so make sure the student is writing down what the INFECTED person did at the campWhat Causes Infectious Diseases?Infectious diseases are caused by microbes that spread. We’re used to seeing infectious diseases through the common cold, flu, chicken pox, and strep throat. These diseases can be passed from person-to-person (coughing, sneezing, touching), or through another medium (foods, drinking water, animals).Different types of scientists use different methods to try and determine what is causing people to get sick. There are scientists that study microscopic samples in a lab at a cellular level called pathologists. A physician studies the signs, symptoms, and medical histories of specific patients at an individual level. Epidemiologists study groups of people at the population level.Health conditions can be discovered by identifying how they are distributed in a population in terms of person, place, and time. These clues help to form a hypothesis for how and why a disease is transmitted.What we need to figure out is who these people are, where they are sick, and when they got sick. Who, where, and when are the descriptive epidemiology clues of a disease.Once we are able to figure out how the disease is distributed, we can begin to speculate as to why it is distributed in that way. Why did these people get sick, in this place, at this time? That’s when we can start to formulate a hypothesis to explain why some people got sick and others did not.BenYeah, man, I went to the fair with AIG camp! My friends and I loved it. We only went for the rides. We like to ride everything until we get sick. And the stunt show was pretty awesome. It’s really the only place you can go eat a turkey leg like a caveman.CorrineI went to the fair with AIG camp but my best friend and I stayed away from the mainstream crowd. We mostly went because of the food. I was craving a funnel cake and my best friend ate everything in site. We ended up eating the funnel cake, cotton candy, shaved ice, shaved fried potatoes, and corn dogs. Healthy, I know, right? Sometimes you have to live a little. Anyway, we watched the exotic bird show while we ate, and then caught a movie afterwards. The mosquitos were everywhere at the fair. It was totally gross!!!EmilyMy sister is totally a zombie! Well, they say it’s some kind of virus, but whatever. She’s a zombie. She came after me once she got home from camp. At first, I thought she was joking around, but she had this dead look in her eyes and was grunting a lot. I don’t even think she knew it was me she was lurching towards. I barred myself in our interior bathroom, like a tornado, you know? I actually slept in there. She was gone in the morning. It was totally creepy. Oh, yeah, we both went to the fair with AIG camp. We blew our allowance. I had a funnel cake and she had a corn dog and a candied apple before riding all the rides. We had one of those wristbands things that let’s you do everything you want. We even went to the exotic bird thing, but didn’t stay long. We also went to the pig races, but it was really crowded and the mosquitos were everywhere. Sarah got a closer look, but it was a waste of time. I was over the animals by then, bur Sarah went through the petting zoo while I checked in with our teachers. LaurenMy son Henry is infected. He started acting really strange when we got home from camp. At first he was really sick and we were about to call the doctor, but he started showing aggression so we left him alone. In the morning, he was gone. He went to the fair with camp but only did a few things. I remember him telling me he ate a corn dog before he went on the ferris wheel. It made him queasy, so he and his friends left the ride area. He spent time at the petting zoo, went through the Haunted House, saw the exotic bird show, and the stunt show. Oh, he tried to see one of the pig races, but it was so busy over there you couldn’t really see anything.TylerBoth of my kids attended AIG camp and went to the fair. They have both disappeared. I have told the police countless times. I even went to the fair with them as a chaperone. After camp we came home, ate dinner, went to bed, and in the morning they were gone. They left behind a lot of drool and a really bad stench, which is why the police think they may have been infected. At the fair we did everything. I watched them on the rides, play with the animals in the petting zoo, ride the ponies in a circle, we saw all the shows on the agenda, and they even convinced me to go through the haunted house. We had corn dogs and cotton candy on the way out as we were slapping away mosquitos. I just don’t understand what happened to them.MichaelI went to the fair with AIG camp but I got really sick after eating the deep fried butter. I watched my friends ride the ponies around in a circle, but I didn’t even attempt to ride anything. I did go through the haunted house and watched the exotic bird show, but after that the camp had to leave. I was fine in the morning, but the food poisoning is no joke.WhitneyMy brother went to the fair with AIG camp. I decided to stay home with my grandparents that day. When he got home he stayed at his house. He called and told me that he had corn dogs and turkey legs. He also watched the stunt show and the bird show. My brother didn’t ride any rides but went through the Haunted House. My brother wants to be a veterinarian someday so he spent time in the petting zoo. Oh, and he won me a goldfish playing games. Me said I was lucky I didn’t go because the mosquitos were horrible! When he didn’t show up in the morning my parents were worried and eventually called the police, but they had less answers then we did. It seems like a lot of people who went to the fair with AIG camp have vanished.AndrewMy wife and my kids, who were attending AIG camp, attended the fair. I couldn’t go because I was out of town on business. When I came home, the house was ransacked. At the time the police thought it was foul play, but now they have lumped them into the rest of the people infected and missing from AIG camp. I talked to my wife on the way home from the fair. Our boys were passed out in the backseat, and she said they had fun. She said they did rides before eating. The kids were too scared to go through the haunted house, so she volunteered to do the dunk tank to cheer them up. I remember she said they saw the stunt show while they had corn dogs and lemonade in the stands. She told me that they road those ponies that walk in a circle, and then went through the petting zoo. The missed the pig race, so she said they spent a lot of time with the animals. She texted me photos the whole time so I wouldn’t miss it.NathanI don’t know why you want to talk to me. It clearly wasn’t anything at the fair that made those people turn into zombies. Everyone knows that zombies come from radiation. I heard that this school was going to be shut down earlier this year due to some type of leak. Plus, I went to the fair with AIG camp and do I look like a zombie to you? I rode all the rides, ate a ton of junk food, played a few games. Oh, and watched the bird show, or the “exotic” bird show, whatever. I thought I was going to see something cool like a vulture, but it was just a bunch of pigeons.JamieI went with my friends from AIG camp to the fair, but they were way into it than I was. I ate a corn dog while they were watching pig races, and ate cotton candy while they petted all the animals. Why come to the fair just to see dumb animals? After that we rode all the rides, played a few games, and went through the haunted mansion before having to leave to return to camp. The mosquitos were getting terrible. Oh, and we did sit through the stunt show, but like I said the mosquitos were starting to swarm. The next day, my friends were missing.Disease Detectives: AIG Camp Zombie Outbreak Interview Tracking SheetHaunted HouseRidesCorn DogPetting ZooPony RidesGamesExotic Birds ShowPig RacesStunt ShowMosquito BitesHenryBenTyler’s kidsEmily’s sisterCorrineMichaelAndrew’s familyJamie’s FriendsWhitney’s BrotherNathanWhat is the Center of Disease Control (CDC)?CDC’s mission is to keep Americans safe and healthy where they work, live and play. Scientists and disease detectives work around the world to track diseases, research outbreaks, respond to emergencies of all kinds, and use what they learn from this work to develop and advocate public health policies that strengthen America’s health and resilience.CDC scientists and disease detectives are deployed globally because outbreaks that start in remote corners of the world can travel to the US as quickly as a plane can fly. In a pandemic or a health crisis of any kind, time is precious. CDC experts available where and when a problem first occurs can potentially save hundreds, even thousands, from illness, injury or death. Investing and acting globally enables CDC to be better prepared to combat any threat to the health and safety of American citizens, no matter where in the world it might first arise.Definitions That Can Helpbacterium - a single celled microscopic organism, whose genetic material is not enclosed by a membrane ( E. coli, Strep throat) epidemic- a widespread of an infectious disease where many people are infected at the same time.epidemiology - the branch of medical science dealing with the incidence, distribution and control of disease in a population.exposure - the act of coming into contact with a disease-causing microorganism; exposure may or may not lead to infection.microbe - a microscopic organism, such as a bacterium, a virus or a protozoan. Although most microbes that live in our environment perform functions essential to our survival, a small percentage of them enter our bodies to cause an infectious disease. Infectious diseases emerge, suddenly or gradually, in various environments, and may spread across a region or even the world.outbreak - the occurrence of a large number of cases of a disease in a short period of time.pandemic - an epidemic that affects multiple geographic areas at the same time.pathogen - any disease-producing agent; i.e. virus, bacteria or other microorganisms.protozoa - simple, unicellular animals comprising some 50,000 organisms.(Malaria)vaccine-a substance that contains antigenic compounds either weakened, dead or synthetic, from an infectious organism which is used to produce active immunity against that organism.virus - ultramicroscopic infectious agent that replicates itself only within cells of living hosts. (common cold, flu)Epidemiology: OutbreaksTo study incurable diseases, researchers must take extreme care not to become infected. The highest level of protection is known as BioSafety Level 4, in which laboratory workers wear a one-piece positive pressure suit to safeguard against contact with microbes. Since the suit has its own life-support system, there is no risk that a researcher will breathe in microbes through contaminated air. To prevent microbes from escaping to the outside world, the laboratory is designed to be completely isolated.It has its own ventilation system and can be entered only through a double-door airlock. Anything leaving the laboratory—including researchers—must be sterilized first. When they leave the lab, workers must pass under a sterilizing chemical shower before removing their life-support suits and changing into street clothes.An outbreak of a disease can affect a handful of people, or thousands of people. Microbes spread through local populations by different routes. Some spread through shared resources, such as air and water. Others spread through food handling, shared needle injections, sexual contact, or disease carriers, such as fleas and rats.To trace an outbreak to its source and identify the microbe that causes it, epidemiologists often start by interviewing the people stricken with the disease. Their goal is to find common links between these people and the ways the disease has spread.They also take samples from anything that might contain microbes relating to the outbreak—from blood and local insects to food and water. Steps taken to investigate and control an outbreak may effect new public health measures or focus attention on a previously unknown microbe.What is an Epidemiologist?An epidemiologist studies the health of populations to discover what factors lead to disease. From their research epidemiologists communicate to the public information about the cause, spread, or threat of certain diseases.one succinct way to sum up the task of an epidemiologist is to say they “count things.” Basically, epidemiologists count diseases or injury, define the affected population, and then compute rates of disease or injury in thatpopulation. Then they compare these rates with those found in other populations and make inferences regarding the pattern of disease to determine whether a problem exists.There are three types of epidemiologists:Environmental epidemiology - studies environmental pollutants and/or exposures that might be a danger to individual or public health. The environmental epidemiology field does extensive research regarding pollutants, risk estimations, medical estimates and inspections regarding health consequences of pollutants and pathogens.Genetic epidemiology - studies genetics and other factors involving how genetic expression affects biological systems. The genetic histories of families and individual patients are used to determine how genetic diseases occur and how they can best be treated or prevented.Social epidemiology - study how socioeconomic factors affect the health of populations or individuals. Research is done to determine whether certain illnesses occurred because of particular lifestyles, regional environmental factors, or working conditions.Studying an Outbreak: An Epidemiological Investigation1. Is it an outbreak? Determine if the disease is common to the area or if it has been reported in the area previously. An outbreak has occurred when the number of infections reported is higher than the expected number of infections.Identify the specific nature of the disease. To verify the diagnosis, review clinical findings (symptoms and features of the illness) and laboratory results of the people who are affected. Visit several of the people who became ill and talk to some of the infected to gain a better understanding of the disease and those affected by it. In addition, you may be able to gather critical information by asking such questions as, what were their exposures before becoming ill? What do they think caused their illness? Do they know anyone else with the disease? Do they have anything in common with others?Who has the disease? Conversations with patients are very helpful in generating hypotheses about the cause, source, and spread of disease.2. Define the disease. Create a definition based on the symptoms. This should include a defined method for determining if a person is infected with this disease.3. Determine the number of people infected. Determine the risk factors: How many people were exposed, in what area, over what period of time? Information about risk factors will tailor your investigation to the specific disease in question.4. Create a hypothesis based on information on everyone infected along with specimens collected through field work.5. Test the hypothesis. Analytic epidemiology tests your hypotheses by using a comparison group to quantify relationships between various exposures and the disease.There are two types of analytic studies: cohort studies and case-control studies.Cohort studies compare groups of people who have been exposed to suspected risk factors with groups who have not been exposed.Case-control studies compare people with a disease (case-patients) with a group of people without the disease (controls). The nature of the outbreak determines which of these studies you will use.6. Control measures should be aimed at specific links in the chain of infection, the agent, the source, or the reservoir.7. Communicate findings to others who need to know. This usually includes 1) an oral briefing for local health authorities, and 2) a written report.Resources:This has been adapted from the Disease Detectives: Zombie’s, provided by The Center for Disease Control and Prevention. ................
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