In this first week of the course, we will explore how using a host-centric view of a disease can lead to a greater understanding of respiratory disease in livestock production systems. Lessons this week will provide an overview of all of the key concepts that will be covered in the course to help you understand how each of the aspects of respiratory disease management is interrelated. By the end of the week, you will have a high-level understanding of the knowledge, skills and thought processes needed to successfully manage respiratory disease.

This week we will explore the normal function of the lung in a healthy animal. We will use this understanding of normal as a foundation for all of the pathology and disease that we will talk about in the remainder of the course. Subjects covered this week will include: air movement physics, gas exchange, control of the respiratory system, and host defenses in the respiratory tract. We will review both anatomy, physiology and immunology of each of these key processes.

This week we will explore the pathogens involved in respiratory disease of livestock. By the end of the week you will understand how pathogens interact to create a disease complex, how pathogens cause disease, how cell tropisms affects clinical signs, what pathogens infect the upper and lower airways and what tools we have to understand what pathogens are present. In addition to the main lectures, there are supplemental materials to explore the specifics of important diseases in cattle and swine and resources to help you understand diagnostic assays and sample collection techniques.

In this week of the course, we delve into the therapeutic management of infectious respiratory disease, with a focus on how antimicrobial selection is informed by pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic principles. We will examine the critical role of host immune status and tissue pathology in determining treatment outcomes, and consider how management strategies can support host defenses and promote recovery. Through lectures and applied case discussions, you’ll gain practical tools for selecting and using therapeutics effectively in both individual and population-level contexts.