The aim of the course is to provide fundamental knowledge and cultural insights into hygiene, epidemiology, preventive and community medicine, and biosafety and good laboratory practices, with a specific focus on their application in biological sciences. Additionally, it seeks to foster an understanding of their professional and social significance.
Course Prerequisites
No specific prior knowledge or skills are required.
Teaching Methods
Lectures and practical sessions (i.e., case studies).
Assessment Methods
Oral exam. The evaluation of the exam is graded on a scale of thirty points.
Texts
Textbook: Carlo Signorelli, Igiene e sanità pubblica. Secrets - Domande & Risposte, Edizione 2025, SEU.
Contents
INTRODUCTION Hygiene, epidemiology and prevention. Health and its determinants
EPIDEMIOLOGY To understand the fundamental principles of epidemiology; to analyse and interpret epidemiological measures; to acquire the skills needed to critically appraise a scientific article and to conduct an observational study. 2. Introduction to epidemiological thinking: study planning, sampling. Cross-sectional studies 3. Case–control studies 4. Cohort studies 5. Experimental studies 6. Measures of frequency 7. Measures of association 8. Measures of impact 9. Confounding, bias and validity. Study protocol 10. Questionnaires in epidemiology
ENVIRONMENTAL HYGIENE To interpret the results of analyses in the main environmental matrices in an epidemiological context; to understand how laboratory data are linked to surveillance of infectious and chronic–degenerative diseases, to prevention, and to health promotion. 11. Introduction to environmental epidemiology. Risk assessment 12. Biological markers in epidemiology 13. Air pollution and public health 14. Water pollution and public health 15. Waste management and public health 16. Nutritional epidemiology 17. General epidemiology of chronic–degenerative diseases and prevention 18. Screening programmes 19. General epidemiology of infectious diseases and prevention 20. Vaccinations
LABORATORY SAFETY MANAGEMENT AND GOOD LABORATORY PRACTICES To understand biosafety and biosurveillance protocols to prevent contamination, infections or biological hazards and to ensure sample quality and traceability of analytical results. 21. Classification of biological agents and routes of transmission. Epidemiology of laboratory-acquired infections 22. Risk assessment and health surveillance 23. General requirements and measures for protection from biological risk. Containment measures 24. Infection Prevention and Control (IPC) and sample management
