Case Study

Case Studies for Human Parasitic and Infectious Diseases

Introduction:

Each year approximately one third of all human deaths are caused

by infectious and parasitic diseases. In developing countries, that

percentage increases to almost fifty percent. While some of these diseases have existed for centuries, other viral diseases such as HIV and SARS have emerged in the human population much more recently. Globalization has allowed for the transfer of these microbial pathogens across continents. In order to gain a better understanding of human parasitic diseases, you will investigate one parasitic or infectious disease and use the information to create a case study of the disease.

A case study presents readers with a story that includes a problem to solve. Your job in writing the case study is to provide the readers with enough information to solve the puzzle without directly given them the answer. In order to solve the mystery, the readers will need to read, analyze, and interpret the story. Readers might also need to conduct their own research before proposing a solution. In order to write a case study, you must become the expert on the parasitic or infectious disease that you will be writing about. Once you have collected the necessary information, you must weave your facts into the form of a story.

Grading Criteria

1. The Case Study is written in the form of a story. 5 points

(The case study is not a list of facts.)

2. The facts given in the case study address the 5 Ws and H. 18 points

Who?

The person designated to have the disease should be from a high-risk population, if the disease is commonly found within a certain group.

What?

What organism causes the disease?

Where?

Choose a location where the disease is most commonly found.

When?

Was the disease most prevalent in a certain time period? Is it seasonal? If so, be sure to incorporate...