Control of diseases with an impact on aquaculture is a difficult task for which epidemiological tools are needed to prevent and control potential disease outbreaks.

Key reasons to attend this course

Better understand the principles of disease causality.
Learn how to investigate an outbreak of disease.
Identify the transmission route for the propagation of diseases and apply appropriate biosafety measures.
Interpret the results of diagnostic tests at population level considering sensibility and specificity.
Acquire knowledge on how to calculate the sample sizes needed to determine absence and prevalence of disease.
Expand your knowledge on associations between diseases and risk factors
Meet first-line international experts in this field and share professional experiences and concerns with them.

Lecturers

The course will be delivered by lecturers of renowned experience from universities and research centres of different countries. Academic coordination will be carried out by Ana Muniesa, lecturer from the Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Zaragoza.

Live sessions, individual and practical work

11 Leading international experts

Course in English. Live sessions with interpretation into Spanish and French

Programme

The course will be held online, combining live sessions and individual work with support material. The course will be held over 5 weeks, from 23 September to 27 October 2021. The live sessions will be held from 15:00h to 17:00h (Central European Time). The total time required to complete the course including individual and practical work will be 64 hours.

The programme is structured in live sessions and personal work. The live sessions will be used to address doubts on aspects of the programme and to present and resolve practical exercises. They will also include eminently practical topics or case studies delivered by guest lecturers of renowned experience in aquaculture health management. Individual work on the topics included in the programme will be based on notes, pre-recorded videos from lecturers, tutorials on practical exercises, recommended reading and other support material.

Timetable brochure in English brochure in Spanish brochure in French
  • 1. Introduction to epidemiology
    • 1.1. History of the beginnings of epidemiology
    • 1.2. Definition of epidemiology
    • 1.3. Epidemiology applications
    • 1.4. Classification of epidemiology
    • 1.5. Epidemiological methods
    • 1.6. Suggested reading and self-tests
  • 2. Introduction to epidemiological surveillance
    • 2.1. Basic concepts and definitions
    • 2.2. Classification of epidemiological surveillance systems
    • 2.3. New approaches in epidemiological surveillance
    • 2.4. Guest lecture: The World Organisation for Animal Health (OIE) and its role in aquaculture health. E. Peeler, CEFAS, UK.
    • 2.5. Guest lecture: Epidemiological surveillance of salmonid aquaculture in Norway of listed and non-listed diseases. E. Brun, NVI, Norway
    • 2.6. Suggested reading and self-tests
  • 3. Study and analysis of the disease
    • 3.1. Outbreak investigation
      • 3.1.1. Definitions of outbreak, suspected case, abnormal mortality
      • 3.1.2. Sampling
      • 3.1.3. Diagnosis
      • 3.1.4. Sensibility, Specificity
      • 3.1.5. Suggested reading and self-tests
      • 3.1.6. Tutorials, and introduction to practical exercises
    • 3.2. Disease detection
      • 3.2.1. Sampling
      • 3.2.2. Diagnosis
      • 3.2.3. Suggested reading and self-tests
      • 3.2.4. Tutorials, and introduction to practical exercises
    • 3.3. Quantify the disease
      • 3.3.1. Sampling
      • 3.3.2. Parameters to quantify the disease (morbidity, mortality, lethality, apparent prevalence, actual prevalence)
      • 3.3.3. Diagnosis
      • 3.3.4. Suggested reading and self-tests
      • 3.3.5. Tutorials and introduction to practical exercises
    • 3.4. Practical work session (topics 3.1; 3.2; 3.3). Computer exercises. Win Epi session. A. Muniesa and I. de Blas, Univ. Zaragoza, Spain
    • 3.5. Guest lecture: Bacterial diseases with impact on sea bass and sea bream farming. S. Zrncic, HVI, Croatia
    • 3.6. Guest lecture: Viral diseases with impact on Mediterranean fish farming. A. Toffan, IZSVe, Italy
    • 3.7. Guest lecture: Diagnostic procedures in the case of mortality caused by unknown aetiology. N. Vendramin, DTU, Denmark
  • 4. Prediction of disease: risk and modelling
    • 4.1. Introduction
    • 4.2. Risk analysis
      • 4.2.1. Components of risk analysis
      • 4.2.2. Risk qualitative analysis
      • 4.2.3. Risk quantitative analysis
    • 4.3. Modelling
      • 4.3.1. Classification of epidemiological models
      • 4.3.2. Phases in the development of an epidemiological model
      • 4.3.3. Types of models (deterministic, probabilistic, mixed)
      • 4.3.4. Computational techniques
    • 4.4. Tutorials, examples and practical exercises
    • 4.5. Guest lecture: Risk Assessment of VER/VNN Introduction and Spread in Seabass Farms. S. Tavornpanich, NVI, Norway
  • 5. Tools for control and eradication
    • 5.1. History of the beginnings of the Health Police
    • 5.2. Basis of Preventive Medicine and Health Police
      • 5.2.1. Prevention
      • 5.2.2. Control
      • 5.2.3. Eradication
    • 5.3. Suggested reading and self-tests
    • 5.4. Guest lecture: Biosecurity in Mediterranean fish farming. A. Le Breton, Vet’Eau, France
    • 5.5. Guest lecture: Fish farming Health Defense Groups in Spain. Objectives and surveillance programmes. J. López, FEADSA, Spain
    • 5.6. Guest lecture: Tools for the Evaluation of Surveillance systems. B. Basurco, CIHEAM, Spain

Train at an outstanding international institution

Registration

If you wish to participate in the course, apply online at the following address: www.admission.iamz.ciheam.org

Applications must include the curriculum vitae and copy of the supporting documents most related to the subject of the course.

All participants will be exempt from the payment of registration fees.

The course will be held online, combining live sessions and individual work with support material. The course will be held over 5 weeks, from 23 September to 27 October 2021. The live sessions will be held from 15:00h to 17:00h (Central European Time). The total time required to complete the course including individual and practical work will be 64 hours.

Application deadline: 15 July 2021. The deadline may be extended if there are free places available.

Mediterranean Agronomic Institute of Zaragoza

Av. Montañana 1005, 50059 Zaragoza, Spain

www.iamz.ciheam.org

iamz@iamz.ciheam.org

+34 976716000

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