a. A brief introduction to the life-cycle of the parasite and the disease.

b. Ecology of populations involved:
Agent:
Infrapopulation - the parasite population within an individual host.
Suprapopulation - all life stages of the parasite in the environment and in one or more host populations.
Describe the agent's niche in the ecosystem, its requirements, adaptations, advantages and disadvantages.
Host:
Describe the population dynamics of hosts as related to association with the agent.

c. Parasite-Host interactions (refer also to transmission exercise):
    Parasite point of view: transmission, infection, disease.
    Host point of view: susceptibility, defense response (behavior, immunity),
        cost (disease, loss of competitive ability, increased susceptibility to predation)
    Co-evolution of hosts and parasites.

d. Regulation of parasite and host populations:
    Population densities, geographical distributions, habitat selection

e. Disease:
    What does it take to cause disease?
    Density dependent effects
    Heterogeneity of host population - age, sex, immunity
    Heterogeneity of parasite population
    Other factors

f. Control (refer also to control exercise):
    Key points for intervention
    What has and hasn't worked? Why?

g. Surveillance:
    Sources of information
    Strategy
    Evaluation

h. Socio-economic, political and economic aspects
    Emphasis on a specific disease vs. general health
    Conflicting social, political and economic forces
    Who is in control of resources and disease management?
    Interest groups involved

i. Propose an integrated disease management program
    Take into consideration all the issues mentioned above.

The 15-20 page paper is due on the last day of class. Please distribute a 1-2 page abstract
to the class by the time of your presentation, and have the reading material available a week earlier.
Use overheads, slides or a powerpoint type presentation.
Limit your presentation to 20-30 mins. followed by a 15-20 mins. discussion led by you.

List of Diseases for presentation/paper

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