Zoonotic, Vector-Borne & Emerging Infections

By completing this question set, you will apply the exposure-vector-organism-syndrome framework to identify any zoonotic or vector-borne pathogen presented in clinical context. For Rickettsia and related organisms, you will apply the endothelial vs. WBC tropism distinction to predict whether a tick-borne illness will produce a rash and the direction of that rash's spread. For Coxiella, you will explain why it defies the "rickettsial organism = arthropod vector" rule and predict the clinical consequence of chronic infection on abnormal heart valves. For Francisella, you will apply its extremely low infectious dose to explain its Category A bioterrorism classification and predict which form of tularemia an aerosol release would produce. For bioterrorism agents, you will apply the Category A criteria and recognize each agent from its cardinal clinical presentation (mediastinal widening for anthrax, pneumonic plague's person-to-person transmission, botulism's descending flaccid paralysis, smallpox's synchronous deep rash without current herd immunity). For emerging infections, you will apply the five-criteria pandemic pathogen framework to predict why novel zoonotic pathogens like Nipah virus are considered pandemic threats.