Veterinary Epidemiology

 

Course Category

Compulsory.

Course outline

Lectures: sampling methods, minimum sample size calculation; measures of disease frequency, diagnostic test characteristics at the animal and herd level, diagnostic accuracy of continuous tests, predictive values, likelihood ratios, estimation of true prevalence; types of epidemiologic studies; measures of association, measures of effect; selection and information bias, confounding and interaction in epidemiologic studies. Tutorials and laboratory training: use of software for sample size calculation (WINEPISCOPE, FREECALC), estimation of diagnostic test characteristics (FREECALC, HERDACC), confounding and interaction (EPIINFO).

Number of contact hours/semester

26 hours for lectures and 26 hours for tutorials and laboratory training.

ECTS

4.

Qualifications of coordinator(s)

Veterinarians, PhD with teaching and/or research experience in Veterinary Epidemiology.

Teaching targets

1) Selection of the optimal sampling method and minimum sample size calculation. 2) Measures of disease frequency. 3) Diagnostic accuracy of tests at the animal and herd level and their calculation. 4) Types of epidemiologic studies and their suitability for different disease settings. 5) Measures of association and effect and their calculation. 6) Types of bias and methods to avoid or control them.