The following unit was developed with the goal of outlining emerging infectious diseases and several reemerging infectious diseases. This unit in its entirety encompasses five sub-units, which can be used independently of each other in various high-school science courses. The first sub-unit focuses on bacterial and viral morphologies. Students will learn about the anatomy and morphology of common bacteria. The second sub-unit introduces students to three outbreaks of the bubonic plague caused by
Yersinia pestis
, including the most recent outbreak in Mandritsara, Madagascar. The third sub-unit allows students to survey the wide variety of emerging and reemerging infectious diseases, including Ebola, MERS, and SARS. In the fourth sub-unit, students will explore the various tools used to diagnose and treat outbreaks, including advances in vaccine delivery units. The fifth and final sub-unit explores the media's impact on informing and, in some cases, hindering the treatment of diseases.
(Developed for Biology, grade 10; recommended for Biology, grade 10, and Microbiology elective, grades 11-12)
