PC2201:03
Infectious Diseases and Immunology for Pharmacists
| Townsville | HECS Band 2 |
36 hours lectures, 6 hours tutorials, 15 hours practicals, 15 hours workshops. Semester 2.
Available to level 2 Bachelor of Pharmacy students.
Staff: Mr J Warner, Dr N Ketheesan, Dr G Grant.
The incidence of infectious and parasitic disease is high in tropical regions of Australia, particularly in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. This subject will present the microbial and parasitic causes, prevention and treatments of infectious and parasitic diseases of importance to pharmacy practice. The role of microbial chemotherapy and vaccination in the treatment and control of infectious diseases and the specific and non-specific mechanisms of microbial resistance will be examined
A special focus will be placed on tropical infectious diseases, the infectious diseases of childhood and the preventative and educational role of the pharmacist in the area of immunisation and population health.
The evolution, physiology and regulation of the immune system and its role in infectious and auto-immune diseases and in tumor and transplantation biology will also be explored.
Learning Objectives:
- discuss the population health role and responsibilities of the pharmacist in infectious disease including identification, prevention, education, microbial resistance and the importance of compliance;
- describe the clinical presentation and drug treatment of common childhood and infectious diseases relevant to pharmacy practice;
- develop an understanding of the pharmacokinetics of the antimicrobials used in the treatment of infection, including the use of therapeutic drug monitoring infectious diseases;
- develop an understanding of the major classes of microbes and parasites causing diseases in humans and animals and basic techniques used for their identification and treatment;
- describe the pathogenesis of commonly encountered infectious, immunological, haematological, neoplastic diseases and those found in Indigenous populations and tropical areas;
- describe the principles behind rational drug use for the treatment of infection.
Assessment by a two-hour examination (60%); Objective Subjective Clinical Examination (OSCE) (25%); workshop attendance and assignment (15%). The OSCE will consist of two panels (15 minutes each) assessed by at least two examiners. All students will be questioned by each of the panels. This examination will cover all components of the Pharmacy course. A satisfactory performance in all aspects of the subject is required. This is defined as at least 50% for all sections. Attendance at workshops is compulsory.