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University of Leeds

Causes of Human Disease: Transmitting and Fighting Infection

University of Leeds via FutureLearn

Overview

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Discover how infection spreads.

Most of us have experienced common diseases like flu or less common ones like pneumonia. On this course, you’ll learn how pathogens cause infectious diseases and how these diseases are transmitted. You’ll examine the bacterial resistance to antibiotics, how this leads to serious infections like MRSA and reflect on approaches to address this problem. You’ll learn how the body’s immune system fights off disease and how resistance is gained. You’ll apply this knowledge to explore why immunisation has been crucial in reducing the occurrence of disease or even eradicating deadly diseases.

The course is suitable for anyone with a general interest in the science behind causes of human disease. No previous knowledge or experience is required. If you are working in nursing, healthcare or social care, or just wish to learn more, this course is designed to support you as a professional. By completing all aspects of the course you will have achieved 14 hours of CPD time.

Syllabus

  • Infectious diseases
    • Welcome
    • What causes infectious diseases?
    • Transmission of disease
    • Antibiotics
    • Revision
    • Summary
  • The immune system
    • About Week 2
    • Fighting infection: the innate immune response
    • Fighting infection: the adaptive immune response
    • Immunisation
    • Revision
    • Summary

Taught by

Michael Routledge

Reviews

4.8 rating, based on 21 Class Central reviews

4.7 rating at FutureLearn based on 50 ratings

Start your review of Causes of Human Disease: Transmitting and Fighting Infection

  • An important class for everyone interested in learning about how our body fight infection. What are the use of vaccination and how it can protect us from getting an infectious disease. It is really nice to learn from the researcher in the field abou…
  • Anonymous
    Causes of Disease has been a very good series produced by the University of Leeds. Transmitting and Fighting Infection is a very relevant topic as it applies to the current pandemic and to other diseases around the world. The varied course content…
  • Anonymous
    This course is very informative about disease processes and the response in the human body. I found the assignments on antibiotics and immunisation and the global issues surrounding control and eradication of polio very interesting. The course gives a clear understanding of the immune response to pathogens. I found it was good revision for me with some of the course involving infection control methods so will be useful when I return to working in a clinical environment in two months. It is also a useful course for someone wanting to take their studies further.
  • Anonymous
    Thanks very much for this course. It was really informative and the videos discussed briefly the ideas also, the exercises had very good questions which helped me to understand more.

  • Profile image for Maisam Radhi
    Maisam Radhi
    This course is very informative about disease processes and the response in the human body. I found the assignments on antibiotics and immunization and the global issues surrounding control and eradication of polio very interesting. The course gives a clear understanding of the immune response to pathogens. I found it was good revision for me with some of the course involving infection control methods so will be useful when I return to working in a clinical environment in two months. It is also a useful course for someone wanting to take their studies further.

  • Anonymous
    The course was great . The assignments were also engaging students with each other.
    Thanks University of Leeds and Futurelearn
  • Anonymous
    Very interesting and helpful when dealing with the family's health and how to fight diseases and treatment.
  • Indu Saxena
    This course gives a basic insight into the type of pathogens that cause infectious diseases, and the body's mechanisms that fight infection. Viruses, bacteria, protozoa and worms have been mentioned with examples. The immune system of the body, broa…
  • Anonymous
    Incredible course and very fun to do. Learned so much, very enriching. From beginning to end the course offers all information very clearly and the assignments help a lot. All the audiovisual presentations are great as well
  • Anonymous
    Learnt about infection, causes of disease, antibiotics, immuntity etc. in more detail. It gave me a more comprehensive understanding of the topic we are learning about in biology.
  • Anonymous
    It was very interesting and easy to understand. The questions asked throughout to see if we understand the material was very helpful. The explanations was flawless.
  • Anonymous
    I was led to understand the course was about the differences between bacteria, virus and parasite. I think more attention should have been given to these. I particularly wanted to know why some cancers form from bacteria and some from virus. Inst…
  • Anonymous
    This course covers a wide spectrum of subject areas under the umbrella of infection and immunity, such as antibiotic resistance and eradication of infection disease. I thoroughly enjoyed this course, but found it quite a commitment - even with a background in biological sciences, albeit not microbiology - so my best advice is make sure you are able and willing to give it a bit more than 4 hours per week in order to get the maximum benefit.
  • Anonymous
    The course was fantastic. I don't have a scientific background, but wanted to learn more about B and T cells, infection and immunity, all because of Covid-19. On top of that I very much enjoyed the three assignments and what I learnt from them. Potentially because of the lack of medical knowledge, I feel that I have a learnt a lot! Many thanks.
  • Joyce Mackey
    An excellent and very informative course, I am now the possessor of an upgraded certificate. Would recommend this and other similar courses, giving great personal interest, whether continuing on to further study or not. Easy to follow, with the extended download information has made this unit very enjoyable.
  • Anonymous
    This is an amazing course, and as part of my interest in physiology I find the immune system a fascinating thing to study and look into. If you are interested in biology/physiology or the immune system, how the body deals with infections or pathogens then this course is worth doing! :)
  • Anonymous
    This course was a great introduction to the topic of bacteria, parasites, viruses and the immune system. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is interested in the topic of immunology and diseases, and wants to expand their knowledge on this topic!
  • Anonymous
    This is the first course I have done, and it won't be the last. It is well written and presented, and I have really enjoyed every part of my learning. I would recommend this.
  • Anonymous
    this course is enjoyful and easy to understanding the immune system working to fight infection, because it presented with simply beautiful animation graphic.
  • Anonymous
    Very interesting and helped build knowledge on the immune system in my A-Level Biology course. Helped give an insight of what this kind of course entails.

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