Communities within communities: One Health Approach and zoonotic diseases

This learning activity can be implemented in three modules. Module 1: The first module introduces the concept of the One Health approach, a framework that emphasizes the interconnectedness of species health and environmental health. In Module 1, students will identify the three components of the One Health approach. Here, students will identify components between and within each One Health category. As prework, students will watch an introductory video and answer reflective questions. Students will engage in a discussion facilitated with discussion questions (see Instructor Procedure and General Instructions). As an assignment, students will construct a mini-case study by identifying and linking the health of various organisms and environmental factors. This module is approximately 100-150 minutes. Module 2: The second module introduces the concept of microbiomes and the dynamic nature of microbiomes structure and function in different contexts. Focusing on humans and mosquitoes, students will do prework watching a video about the human microbiome. As an in-class activity, students will have an in-class discussion about the microbial communities associated with each component of the One Health Approach (humans, animals and environments). This module is approximately 50 minutes. Module 3: The third module uses community ecology metrics to characterize organismal microbiomes. Focusing on humans and mosquitoes, students will apply their knowledge in an assignment that uses an open-access online microbiome data filtering and visualization resource, Microbiome DB, to characterize microbial communities. In these activities, students will subset, analyze and visualize microbiome data to make meaningful conclusions about microbiomes in the context of the One Health framework. This module is approximately 100-150 minutes.