Medical Entomology

ENTO415/815

 

Instructor: Steve Robertson

E-mail: blattaria@cox.net
Home: (757) 838-7623 (no calls after 9:00 p.m. EST please)

 

Course Objectives

This course will examine the role of insects as vectors of diseases and their affects on human populations.  Students will learn the taxonomy, morphology, life history, ecology, and behavior of the insects of public health importance and the epidemiology of the disease pathogens they transmit.  Students will also learn integrated pest management (IPM) techniques that are helpful in diagnosing, preventing, and controlling disease vectors. 

 

Course Activities

Course activities will include lectures, outside readings (book chapters, reviews, and selected original literature) for blackboard discussion, and two exams.  Undergraduate students are required to do one research paper and graduate students are required to do 2 research papers.   

 

Grading

Graded assignments and available points are depicted in the table below.

ASSIGNMENTS

POINTS

Exam #1

100

Exam #2

100

Research Paper #1 (Grad & Undergrad)

50

Research Paper #2 (Grad only)

50

Discussion #1

10

Discussion #2

10

Discussion #3

10

Discussion #4

10

Discussion #5

10

 

TOTAL POINTS

350 – Graduate

300 – Undergraduate

 

Examinations:  Exam coverage will include all lecture materials.  The final exam will be comprehensive, though it will concentrate more on materials covered during the latter part of the semester.  The exam format, for both exams, will be short answer essay questions.  The exams will be take home.  You can use any resource to complete the exams EXCEPT for soliciting assistance from other individuals. 

 

Research Papers:  Research paper topics must be approved by the instructor.  Paper guidelines are posted in a separate document under Assignments.

 

Discussion:  There will be 5 graded discussions.  The discussions will take place on the Blackboard.  Dates of when discussions will be completed are posted in the course schedule below.  All students are expected to participate.  Besides the normal lectures and textbook readings, additional readings for discussions will be posted under Assignments.  The instructor will begin the discussion on the Discussion Board and then monitor and guide the discussion as necessary.  Discussions are expected to be logical and professional.  If there are disagreements or differences in opinions, I expect your position to be stated civilly and professionally.  Just so you know, “civilly” is not always practiced by professionals.

Letter grades will be assigned based on a scale no harsher than straight percentages of 100-90% = A range, 89-80% = B range, 79-70% = C.  I’m expecting that no one will be below the C range!

 

Course Text

 

Service, Mike W., 2004.  Medical Entomology for Students, 4th Edition.  Cambridge University Press.  (ISBN: 978-0-521-70928-6)