Course description

Explore infections in the individual - both travelers and migrants - using knowledge of infections in different regions of the world. The course offers an introduction to major infectious diseases like malaria, tuberculosis, HIV, yellow fever and others with emphasis on geographical distribution, difference in morbidity and mortality between different parts of the world, clinical signs and symptoms, diagnosis, prevention and control. 

Advice to travelers will be discussed and appropriate investigations in immigrants will be reviewed. Emphasis will be on the difference in incidence, prevalence, morbidity and mortality between countries and continents. Appropriate control programs will be discussed, both at national and international level.

The course will teach practical diagnostics of intestinal parasites and blood parasites like malaria through "hands-on" practical’s and will give an introduction to so called “rapid tests”.

The course will enable the student to work in other countries especially developing countries providing background knowledge of disease prevalence, principles of diagnosis, treatment and a brief introduction to community control and prevention.

Format

Teaching will take place in-person at Aarhus University. 

The course takes place over three weeks (weeks 32-34) with onsite teaching from 3 to 21 August.

However, the Summer School also consists of an online component, which is offered to all AU Summer University participants prior to the Summer School. Based on this shared online component, students may be eligible to apply for Erasmus+ funding for short-term exchange studies. 

The exact date of the online component will be announced later. 

Learning outcomes

  • The student will be able to suggest differential diagnosis, diagnostic procedures and first line treatment plans for common infections from different parts of the world including classical tropical medicine.
  • The student will be able to perform diagnostic procedures for intestinal parasites and blood parasites like malaria, and have a working knowledge of rapid diagnostic tests.
  • The student will be able to estimate risk of infections in individuals travelling to a specific area and immigrants to a new country. The student will be able to provide sensible travel advice or know where such information is obtained. 

Estimated workload

Teaching will be through lectures, group work and practical’s in diagnostic pararasitology and rapid tests. The groups will be given assignments and papers either as individual patient’s cases or public health problems. Solutions will be presented and discussed in plenary sessions and patient demonstrations will be included whenever appropriate patients are available at the department of infectious diseases. 

The course includes approximately 15 lectures per week plus groups work where the supervisors will be available and preparation at home reading obligatory literature, performing literature search.

Students are expected to be on-line and have a working knowledge of the internet. Assignments will be solved by searching for information on-line and accessing literature on-line through the web-access service of Aarhus University Library.

Admission to the course

Important information on how to apply

Before applying, you must first obtain a nomination from your home university to apply as an exchange student. 

Once the mobility coordinator from your home university has nominated you, you will receive the link to apply. Please note that a nomination does not guarantee admission.

Not sure who your coordinator is? Please contact the local Circle U. team for advice:

Examination

The evaluation (exam) is based on the presentations by the groups. Each member of the groups must demonstrate that they participated actively throughout each assignment. The practicals will be evaluated by a spot test of blinded samples.

Contact

For questions related to funding, ECTS recognition, mobility, or other course-related matters, please contact the Circle U. office at your home university:

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