Post on 03-Jun-2020
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Introduction to Biodefense: Bacterial and Toxin Agents
BIOD 604 Fall 2016
Katalin Kiss, Ph.D., PMP®
kkiss@gmu.edu Office hours by appointment
Course Overview
This course covers the pathology and threat of bacterial and eukaryotic agents and toxins that can be utilized as biological weapons or are emerging public health threats.
Out of scope for this course: Viruses, Chemical, Nuclear and Radiological weapons.
Course Objectives
Students will be introduced to bacteria, fungi and toxins that are potential agents of bioterrorism, warfare and threats to public health.
Students will learn the basics of metabolism, virulence factors, physiology, immunology, genetics, pathology, diagnostics, detection and prevention of disease caused by each agent.
Students will also learn the source, use, mechanism of action, detection, treatment and prevention of intoxication by toxin agents.
Students will discuss the suitability of each organism and toxin as a bioterrorist or biological warfare agent.
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Course Requirements and Grading
Final grade will consist of the sum of three exams, a group presentation, discussion leadership opportunities and in class participation, as follows:
Participation 25% Exam #1 20% Exam #2 20% Exam #3 20% Presentation 15%
Format and Protocol
There will be a lecture for a portion of each class.
Students should feel free to ask questions via discussion boards.
Students are expected to have read the assigned readings and complete the activities each week.
There will be small group presentations that will be posted to the Course site.
Course Materials
Many of our readings will be in the form of journal articles available on the course Blackboard site. In addition, the following text book is available:
o Medical Microbiology, 8 th Ed. 2016. Murray Rosenthal and Pfaller, Eds., Elsevier, Inc., Philadelphia, PA.
Communication Plan:
Communication concerning class must be conducted via a gmu.edu e-mail account. I monitor my account in the afternoon, between 4 and 10 pm.
Class announcements will all be posted on the course Blackboard site or sent out via email. Blackboard is accessible at http://mymasonportal.gmu.edu. Emails generated by the site go to your GMU email so be sure to keep track of them.
Please use “BIOD604” in the subject line of any emails.
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Attendance, Participation & Discussion:
Participation in class is expected!
Everyone brings a unique approach, experience set and perspective to the program. Discussions of the material will allow us to view a similar concept from multiple perspectives. To that end, each student should be prepared to participate in discussions in class.
Classroom Decorum
In this course we will often engage in discussions on topics with no definitive answer and as such differences of opinion will be the norm. I encourage debate but I will also expect respect for opposing viewpoints. To this end I will tolerate neither personal attacks nor inappropriate language.
University Policies & Information
Honor Code: Student members of the George Mason University community pledge not to cheat, plagiarize, steal, or lie in matters related to academic work.
Disabilities: If you are a student with a disability and you need academic accommodations, please see me and contact the Office of Disability Services at 703-993-2474 or ods.gmu.edu. All academic accommodations must be arranged through that office.
Email: Mason uses only Mason email accounts to communicate with enrolled students. Students must activate their Mason email account, use it to communicate with their department and other administrative units, and check it regularly for important university information including messages related to this class.
Writing Center: A114 Robinson Hall; (703) 993-1200; http://writingcenter.gmu.edu
“Ask a Librarian” http://library.gmu.edu/mudge/IM/IMRef.html Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS): (703) 993-2380; http://caps.gmu.edu
University Catalog, http://catalog.gmu.edu, is the central resource for university policies affecting student, faculty, and staff conduct in university academic affairs. Other policies are available at http://universitypolicy.gmu.edu/. All members of the university community are responsible for knowing and following established policies.
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Week Date Unit Lesson Division Sub-Division Division Reading Assignment Division Activity Assessment
1 29AUG-2SEP
Course Introduction, Introduction to Biological Weapons
Lesson A
History of Microbiology Papagrigorakis,Manolis J. 2013. The Plague of Athens: An Ancient Act of Bioterrorism?, Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science 11:3
Explore: http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/timelines/all Make sure you click on the orange squares and images for additional information.
Exam 1
Introduction to Biological Weapons
Carus, Seth 2015. The History of Biological Weapons Use: What We Know and What We Don’t, Health Security, 13:4.
Explore the timeline: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/plague/etc/cron.html There are also other sections on the site you might find interesting.- like the South Africa article.
Examples of Biological Weapons
Explore this website: http://www.selectagents.gov/SelectAgentsandToxins.html How many of the organisms listed for the course are listed as a select agent?
Modern Threat Agents Read McTaggart 2016 http://journals.plos.org/plospathogens/article?id=10.1371/journal.ppat.1005475
Governance of Biological Material
Emerging Diseases Play Illsville: http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/illsville-fight-disease Can you achieve 100 % immunity? Can you end an outbreak without a quarantine?
Text Book: pp 2-4
2 5SEP-9SEP
Basic Biology Lesson B
Taxonomy Section 4, Chapters 12-13 Exam 1
DNA and RNA Section 6, Chapters 57
Transcription Section 7, Chapters 68
Translation
Introduction to Bacteriology
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Introduction to Protistology
Introduction to Mycology
3 12SEP-16SEP
Basic Biology Lesson C
The Hygeine Hypothesis Section 1, Chapter 2 Exam 1
The Human Microbiome Section 3, Chapters 7-10 Explore : http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/microbiome-graphic-explore-human-microbiome/
Immune Response pt 1 Read: BMJ. 1989 Nov 18; 299(6710): 1259–1260. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1838109/pdf/bmj00259-0027.pdf
Explore the animations in the eBook. Watch: Pathways of Complement Activation; Induction of Tolerance; Steps in Maturation of Lymphocytes; Capture and Presentation of Protein Antigens by Dendritic Cells; Induction and Effector Phases of CMI; Mediated Immune Reactions; Clonal Selection; Sequence of Events in Helper T-Cell-Dependent Antibody Responses; Antibody Mediated Opsonization and Phagocytosis of Microbes; Induction of CD8 T-Cell Response Against Tumors; Immediate Hypersensitivity
Immune Response pt 2
Immune Response pt 3
4 19SEP-23SEP
Basic Biology Lesson D
Pathogenesis Section 1, Chapter 3 Watch: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/hunting-the-nightmare-bacteria/
Exam 1
Antimicrobials Section 4, Chapter 14-15 &17 Review all four of Koch's postulates: http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/koch’s-postulates
Antibiotics Section 6, Chapter 58,59, 61
Resistance to anti-microbics
Section 7, Chapter 69,70, 72
5 26SEP-30SEP
Basic Biology Lesson E
Basic Epidimiology Section 2, Chapters 4-6 Explore: Scroll through the entire presentation: http://www.historyofvaccines.org/content/how-vaccines-work
Exam 1
Vaccinations Section 3, Chapter 11
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Bacterial Evasion of Immunity
Section 4, Chapter 16 Watch: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/body/vaccines-calling-shots.html
Diagnostics/Detection Section 6, Chapter 60 Read: Blog entry http://blogs.plos.org/publichealth/2013/03/11/john-snow-the-first-epidemiologist/
Section 7, Chapter 71
6 3OCT-7OCT
Exam 1
7 10OCT-14OCT
Pathogens/Toxins Lesson F
Toxin Basics Section 4, Chapter 27 Read http://www.cdc.gov/elizabethkingia/outbreaks/index.html
Exam 2
Oppourtinistic Infections/Environmental agents
Pseuodomonas
Acinetobacter Section 4, Chapter 30
Stenotrophomonas Section 6, Chapter 64-65
Elizabethkingia Section 6, Chapter 67
Klebsiella Read: Emergence and Pathogenicity of Highly Virulent Cryptococcus gattii Genotypes in the Northwest United States :http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.ppat.1000850
Clostridium
Elizabethkingia
Cryptococcus
Aspergillosis
Pneumocystis
8 17OCT-21OCT
Pathogens/Toxins Lesson G
Food/Waterborne Infections
Listeria Section 4, Chapter 21 Small Group # 1 Presentation due
Exam 2
E.coli Section 4, Chapter 25
Salmonella Section 4, Chapter 26
Shigella Section 4, Chapter 28
Clostridium Section 4, Chapter 30
Vibrio Section 4, Chapter 32
Campylobacter Section 7, Chapter 73
Helicobacter Section 7, Chapter 75
Leptospira
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Entamoeba
Giardia
Cryptosporidium
Nematodes
9 24OCT-28OCT
Pathogens/Toxins Lesson H
Vector Borne Malaria Section 4, Chapter 32 Small Group # 2 Presentation due
Exam 2
Leishmania Section 4, Chapter 25
Babesia Section 4, Chapter 34
Rickettsia Section 7, Chapter 74
Ehrlichia Section 7, Chapter 78
Borrelia
Yersinia
Coxiella
10 31OCT-4NOV
Exam 2
11 7NOV-11NOV
Pathogens/Toxins Lesson I
Sexually Transmitted Pathogens
Treponema Section 4, Chapter 32 Small Group # 3 Presentation due
Exam 3
Neisseria Section 4, Chapter 23
Haemophilus ducreyi
Section 4, Chapter 24
Chlamydia Section 4, Chapter 35
Mycoplasma Section 4, Chapter 33
Trichomonas Section 7, Chapter 73
12 14NOV-18NOV
Pathogens/Toxins Lesson J
Respiratory and Droplet Transmitted Pathogens
Staphylococcus Section 4, Chapter 18 Small Group # 4 Presentation due
Exam 3
Streptococcus Section 4, Chapter 19
Mycobacterium Section 4, Chapter 22
Neisseria Section 4, Chapter 23
Haemophilus Section 4, Chapter 24
Blastomyces Section 6, Chapter 64
Coccidioides
Histoplasma Watch American Experience "The Forgotten Plague" http://www.pbs.org/video/2365422268/
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13 21NOV-25NOV
Thanksgiving Break
14 28NOV-2DEC
Pathogens/Toxins Lesson K
Agricultural Threats Phoma glycinicola (formerly Pyrenochaeta glycines)
Haralampos Keremidis, 2013. Historical Perspective on Agroterrorism: Lessons Learned from 1945 to 2012; Biosecurity and Bioterrorism: Biodefense Strategy, Practice, and Science ; 11:Suppl. 1
Exam 3
Ralstonia solanacearum
Small Group # 5 Presentation due
Rathayibacter toxicus
Sclerophthora rayssiae
Synchytrium endobioticum
Phoma glycinicola (formerly Pyrenochaeta glycines)
Xanthomonas oryzae
15 5DEC-9DEC
Pathogens/Toxins Lesson L
Conventional Threat Agents
Section 4, Chapter 20 Small Group # 6 Presentation due
Section 4, Chapter 25
Section 4, Chapter 29
16 12DEC-16DEC
Exam 3
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Appendix 1:
Group Presentations will focus on groups of bacteria/protists/fungi/toxins that belong to one of categories listed below:
Group Presentation will contain the following information (Think of this as a briefing you are giving to the rest of the class.):
A title slide Taxonomy- a list of all the agents that you will cover in your discussion: growth/ease of manufacture, physiological description of the agents, including genome size, virulence factors/pathogenecity factors/plasmids natural reservoirs, commercial availability, persistence in the environment, mode of natural transmission, infectious/lethal dose, how long before symptoms appear, symptoms, diagnostics, Available countermeasures treatment/antibiotic regimen, known antibiotic resistance, vaccine status (is there a vaccine? Does it work? Why isn’t there a vaccine?), history of epidemics of the disease, recent outbreaks, Year to date occurrence in US and then worldwide (if available), impact of these outbreaks, recommended decontamination (or remediation- for the plant pathogens) Evidence that any of the agents have been used as a weapon? Evidence that any of the agents have been developed as a weapon? What are the factors of the agents that make them candidates as weapons? How could it be spread? How could it be detected? Expected mortality and morbidity rates in the event of an intentional outbreak? What are the factors that discount the use of the agent as weapon?
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references (primary sources)
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Appendix 2: Group Presentations
Offensive team will prepare and present a scenario of the use of a biological agents on multiple targets over a short period of time that will have physical, psychological and economic impacts.
o Presentation must include: how and why you selected the target
and the agent . How did you acquire the agent? how the agent was made, delivered? Explain your choice of delivery, Calculate the cost of reagents used and
where did you obtain funding. Describe the planning and organization of your group.
Explain any strategies to avoid countermeasures.
References used
Defensive team will prepare and present a scenario of the reaction to the event. o The defensive team will not know what the attack will be until 2 Dec. Therefore, the defensive team should meet to
discuss reactions to multiple scenarios. Must include: Describe the response- from detection, involvement of civic agencies, use of countermeasures,
treatment, cost, decontamination, challenges you had to overcome and anything that came up that you did not plan for. How would you handle these
References used.
:
Offensive Team
Defensive Team
Cameron Albert Colleen Tangney
Alison Mann Laramie Bradford
Saskia Popescu Mary Oberlies
Amanda Clark Greg Mercer
Marialyn Lomberk Lisa Leang
Steph Ellis Sadaf Khan
William Long John Obrien
Meagan Prophet Anna Rowe
Scott McAlister Becca Earnhardt
Chris Burton Drew Joyce
Joey Moratto Nick Guerin
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Use this disclaimer for the presentations:
This is a simulation, completed as a part of coursework for BIOD 604, Introduction to Biodefense/Threat Analysis I: Bacterial and Toxin Agents class, within the Biodefense graduate program at George Mason University.
For further information, please contact Dr. Katalin Kiss (kkiss@gmu.edu), or program director, Dr. Trevor Thrall (athrall@gmu.edu).
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levels of achievment
Criteria Sub-par (25%) Novice (50%) Competent (75%) Proficient (100%)
Planning
Organization
Presentation
Acquisition
Intent
Reality
Funding
Delivery
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Rubric Treatment
Detection
Originality