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The Ebola epidemic that tore through West Africa in 2014 claimed 11,310 lives, far more than any previous outbreak. A combination of factors contributed to its savagery, among them a mobile population, crumbling public health systems, official neglect and hazardous burial practices. But new research suggests another impetus: The virus may have evolved a new weapon against its human hosts. In studies published on Thursday in the journal Cell, two teams of scientists report that a genetic mutation may have made Ebola more deadly by improving the virus's ability to enter human cells.

In this lesson, students explore the fundamental mathematical concepts underlying the spread of contagious diseases. Using a simple exponential model, students compare and contrast the effects of different transmission rates on a population and develop an understanding of the nature and characteristics of exponential growth. Students can then compare their projections with actual Ebola data from West Africa, to create context for analyzing the strengths and limitations of this simplified model.

Throughout the last few decades, diseases that spill over from animals to humans have been on the rise. What's behind their increase, and can we do anything to combat these dangerous foes? Join scientists as they investigate the rise of spillover viruses like Zika, Ebola and Nipah, and learn what science can do to anticipate and prevent epidemics around the world.

This case study is based on the 2014 Ebola epidemic that spread to multiple highly populated countries in West Africa, making it the largest and most devastating outbreak in the history of the virus. The storyline, inspired by a compilation of factual information, unfolds through a fictional narrative wherein students play the role of an infectious disease specialist in training to learn about the techniques used in the detection, diagnosis, and management of Ebola virus outbreaks. The story is presented as an interrupted "clicker case" that combines problem-based case teaching methods with simulated biological laboratory inquiry through the use of Case It, a free molecular biology software, along with the NCBI's online bioinformatics tools and databases. Students work in groups to collaboratively explore various biological and social aspects of this infectious disease outbreak. This case was developed for senior students at the secondary level and can be modified for use in an introductory biology, microbiology, or epidemiology course at the undergraduate level.

In this lesson, students consider the case of a young doctor hired by a U.S. pharmaceutical company to test a new antibiotic in Nigeria during a meningitis epidemic. Students work through a Decision-Making Framework in small groups, in which they identify the ethical question, determine which facts are known or unknown, consider the values of different stakeholder groups, generate possible solutions, and then make and justify a decision about the case. 

This lab will let you explore various diseases: Kold, a caricature of the common cold; Impfluenza, which resembles influenza; Neasles, with the high transmission rate of measles; and Red Death, a fast-spreading epidemic with a high mortality rate. What factors come into play in the spread of these diseases? And what can we do to counter them?

The highly virulent Ebola virus has seen a few major outbreaks since it first appeared in 1976 -- with the worst epidemic occurring in 2014. How does the virus spread, and what exactly does it do to the body? Alex Gendler details what Ebola is and why it's so hard to study.

The highly virulent Ebola virus has seen a few major outbreaks since it first appeared in 1976 -- with the worst epidemic occurring in 2014. How does the virus spread, and what exactly does it do to the body? Alex Gendler details what Ebola is and why it's so hard to study.

15. That's all you need to know about the measles. OK, that's not true at all. There's no one weird trick that will give you a flat belly (besides lying face-down on something flat), and there's no one weird number that explains measles epidemiology. But the basic reproduction number, or R0, of a disease does shed some light on which diseases become epidemics and how we can keep them in check.

Hans Rosling unveils data visuals that untangle the complex risk factors of one of the world's deadliest (and most misunderstood) diseases: HIV. By following the data, he suggests a surprising key to ending the epidemic.

How does it spread? The Varroa mite carries the disease, feeding on bee larvae, then the virus itself kills off the bees. The study's lead author, Dr. Lena Wilfert, of the University of Exeter's Centre for Ecology and Conservation, said they found evidence that human involvement has played a key role in the epidemic.

Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) or genetically engineered (GE) foods have the potential to cause a variety of health problems.  For example, they may produce new allergens and toxins, and spread harmful traits to non-GMO crops. In addition, at least one major environmental impact of genetic engineering has already reached critical proportions: overuse of herbicide-tolerant GE crops has spurred an increase in herbicide use and an epidemic of herbicide-resistant "superweeds," which will lead to even more herbicide use. The long-term impacts of GMOs are unknown, and once released into the environment they cannot be recalled.  

The world is becoming more urban every day, and the process has been ongoing since the industrial revolution in the 18th century. The United Nations now estimates that 3.9 billion people live in urban centres. The rapid influx of residents is however not universal and the developed countries are already urban, but the big rise in urban population in the next 30 years is expected to be in Asia and Africa. Urbanization leads to many challenges for global health and the epidemiology of infectious diseases. New megacities can be incubators for new epidemics, and zoonotic diseases can spread in a more rapid manner and become worldwide threats. Adequate city planning and surveillance can be powerful tools to improve the global health and decrease the burden of communicable diseases.

Although rabies still causes thousands of deaths globally every year, it has essentially been eradicated from most industrialized countries. Part of the success story is due to an unusual project undertaken by the Swiss prompted by a series of large outbreaks in the 1970s: the large-scale vaccination of wild foxes to stop the epidemic. In this directed case study, students use an easily accessible MS Excel-based model to understand key epidemiological parameters of rabies outbreaks in wild foxes. The simple model allows students also to predict what proportion of foxes needs to be vaccinated to eradicate the virus from the population. The case fits into both ecological and microbiological (epidemiological) courses and offers opportunities to explore zoonotic diseases and "One Health" questions. The mathematical basis of the differential equations in the models is explained, although prior knowledge of calculus is not essential. A key learning outcome is the critical understanding of both the power and limitations of simple epidemiological models. This case was written for an online course but could also be used as a face-to-face activity if students have access to computers in class.

In the war against aging, Alzheimer's disease is one of our biggest foes. But while we seem to be losing the battle, we may finally have found some chinks in its armor. The most common form of dementia already affects an estimated 5.2 million Americans and 45 million others worldwide, and these numbers are projected to triple by the year 2050 as the baby boomer generation reaches retirement.