Veterinary Immunology

Course Director:

Diana Stone, Professor: MPH, DVM, PhD, Diplomate ACVPM. dstone@sgu.edu. Tel#1 (473) 444 -ext.3805
Office: St. George Hall, Room 209 Available for Zoom or Office appointments

Dept Administrative Assistant:

Ms. Cindy Edwards. cedwards@sgu.edu

Online location-Sakai resources being used: Panopto, Lessons Lecture Hall Assigned - David Brown Hall

Lessons on Sakai

The following are recommended reference books:

• Veterinary Immunology, an Introduction, Ian R. Tizard, 10th Ed.
• Basic Veterinary Immunology. 1st. Ed. Gerald N. Callahan &Robin M. Yates.
• Veterinary Immunology, Principles and Practice, MJ Day, 2nd Ed.

1. Students who need accommodations should contact Student Accessibility and Accommodations Services (SAAS), located in the Welcome Center, inside the International Students Office.
2. Information can be found at mycampus.sgu.edu/group/saas

None

This course is designed to be an introduction to a complex and continually evolving discipline that defines the immune system. The primary objective of the course is to provide students the basic elements needed to understand the immune system and its role in combating disease processes. This area of study is dynamic and should be interwoven in other subjects as you progress through your veterinary education. In other words, this will not be the last time you encounter immunology in the DVM curriculum! Specific diseases associated with hypersensitivities, autoimmunity, and immune deficiency will be discussed in more detail in your other courses including General Pathology, Systemic Pathology, Clinical Pathology, and Medicine courses.

Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to:

• Understand and incorporate the immunological concepts presented in Terms 3, 4, 5, 6 and their clinical 4th year of training. Immunology forms the bases of many diagnostic tests, therapies, and disease prevention strategies (such as vaccines). The basics of immunology are also needed to diagnose and treat diseases of the immune system. Normal immune responses can also contribute to disease.
• Recognize, describe and understand the basics of innate and acquired immunity including the role of cytokines, cell surface receptors, Complement proteins, phagocytic cells, antigen processing and presentation and the role of MHC molecules, humoral immune responses and cell-mediated immune responses, mucosal immunity, neonatal immunity, the hypersensitivities, generation of T-cell and B-cell receptor diversity, and the interaction of innate and acquired immunity.
• Apply problem solving skills. Students will be expected to apply immunology concepts to novel situations on exams.
• To understand the immunologic bases of immunology-based diagnostic assays and to correctly interpret results. To understand specificity and sensitivity of a test and the need for positive and negative controls for diagnostic tests.

1. Define and differentiate the properties of antigens, antibodies, MHC molecules, antigen processing, immune cells, innate/adaptive/passive immunity, and humoral and cell mediated immune responses.
2. Recognize and compare the innate and acquired immune mechanisms involved in mucosal immunity and immune responses to intra-cellular and extracellular pathogens.
3. Describe, interpret and predict the results of immunodiagnostic tests, antibody results for passive transfer, failure of passive transfer, primary/secondary immune responses to infection/vaccination.
4. Recognize and compare the immune mechanisms and clinical signs that characterize the four types of hypersensitivity reactions.

After successful completion of the course you should be able to: (Lecture#/LLO/CLO; eg. First LLO for lecture 1 if it fits in CLO A: 1aA.)

1aA: Define and differentiate innate and adaptive immunity and how these two systems interact.

1bB: Recognize the main features and difference between humoral and cell- mediated immune responses

1cA: Define passive immunity and why it is important.

2aAB: Identify and define the role of innate sentinel and phagocytic cells. 2bA: Define the molecules essential for innate immunity.

2cAB: Describe the steps of phagocytic killing.

3aA: Differentiate between the two main phagocytic cells. 3bAB: Define TLRs and describe their role in innate immunity.

3cAB: Explain the mechanisms by which NK cells identify and kill a virally infected cell.

4aAB: Define the complement system.

4bAB: Compare and contrast the classical and alternative complement pathways. 4cAB: Describe how the complement system destroys microbes (effector mechanisms).

5aA: Define antigen, recognize what molecules can be antigens, and identify what antigens are and their characteristics (immunogenicity vs antigenicity).

5bA: Describe what an epitope is and what role it plays in cross-reactivity. 5cA: Differentiate between a hapten, and epitope, and an antigen.

6aAB: Differentiate between intra/extracellular microbes.

6bAB: Define endogenous and exogenous antigens, and their sources, and appreciate different immune responses to each.

6cA: Be able to identify and list important non-microbial antigens.

7aA: List the major differences between MHC-I and MHC-II antigen capture, processing and presentation.

7bA: Identify and contrast the three professional/semi-pro APCs.

7cAB: Gain an initial appreciation of antigen presentation to lymphocytes.

8aAB: Compare the two pathways for antigen presentation, and contrast these with cross presentation.

8bAB: Link the importance of allelic diversity in MHC to the function of MHC during an adaptive immune response.

8cAB: Provide an example of the role of MHC in disease risk.

9aAB: Describe T/B cell maturation/selection and explain why they are absolutely essential processes.

9bAB: Compare and contrast the BCR and the TCR, and appreciate the process of BCR/TCR diversity.

9cAB: Recall lymphocyte surface receptors and explain the importance of co- stimulation.

10aAB: Describe the process of T cell activation and define Th cells

10bAB: Compare and contrast CD4+ T cell subsets (aka Classes), specifically T.h1 and Th2.

10cAB: Relate T cell subsets to effector arms of the immune system: CTLs and Antibody.

11aA: Define CMI and its components.

11bA: Describe CTL activation and effector mechanisms. 12cD: Describe DTH and its role In CMI.

12cD: Describe the Bovine TB skin test and interpret positive and negative the results of this test.

13aA: Identify/describe the activation/clonal expansion of B lymphocytes. 13bA: Recognize/differentiate the Fab and Fc regions of antibody, polyclonal vs monoclonal antibody.

13cA: Recognize normal/abnormal protein electrophoresis results and interpret the basic significance of low/high globulin fractions.

14aA: Recognize the different antibody classes and their different functions. 14bA: Recognize antibody class switching and affinity maturation and its importance to an antibody response to antigen.

14cA: Given a description or scenario, identify the class of antibody involved.

15aC: Recognize/interpret the terminology and use of antibodies against antibodies in diagnostic tests.

15bC: Define the concepts of antibody titers, seroconversion, acute vs convalescent antibody titers, T-dependent/T-independent antibody responses, protective and sterile immunity.

15cC: Recognize/interpret primary and secondary antibody responses, the classes and relative amounts of each class of antibody involved, and given a scenario, predict the kind of antibody response expected.

16aC: Recognize the different types of classical vaccines, how they differ and the pros and cons of each.

16bC: Identify the type of immune response the different classical vaccines will generate.

16cC: Describe the methods used to attenuate organisms for MLV and to kill

“inactivated” vaccines

16dC: Describe the rationale behind some serial vaccination schedules used for young domestic animals.

16eC: Recognize the concept of core and noncore vaccines.

17fC: Describe the functions of adjuvants and what types of vaccines need them 17aC: Recognize the different types of "new generation" vaccines, how they differ and the pros and cons of each.

17bC: Identify the type of immune response the different "new generation" vaccines will generate.

17cC: Describe the potential adverse reactions to vaccines and when certain kinds of vaccines can and cannot be use.

18aC: Differentiate between colostrum and milk immunoglobulin composition and species differences

18bC: Describe the importance and the mechanism for maternal immunoglobulin absorption into the neonatal circulation and how maternal immunoglobulin protects the gut of the neonate.

18cC: Describe criteria for determining failure of passive transfer in foals and in calves and approaches to treatment.

19aA: Describe the immunology used to develop immunodiagnostic tests, including antigen-antibody interactions; the development and use of polyclonal/monoclonal antibodies and antibodies against other antibodies; primary/animistic antibody responses.

19bC: Describe the uses of immunodiagnostic tests, the samples and reagents used, controls needed and recognize whether the test is designed to detect antigen or antibody.

19cC: Describe titration, how titers are used in diagnostics and be able to interpret antibody titers.

20aC: Describe the immunologic concepts, advantages/limitation and procedures (samples and reagents needed) for Direct and Indirect Immunofluorescent (IF) assays and recognize examples.

20bC: Describe the immunologic concepts, advantages/limitation and procedures (samples and reagents needed) for the various types of ELISA tests and recognize examples of each: Direct, Indirect, Antigen Capture, Competitive.

20cC: Given a scenario and results from IF assays and ELISAs, be able to interpret the results in terms of: Primary/Secondary exposure to a pathogen, Infection, Vaccination status, Disease status.

21aC: Describe the immunologic concepts, advantages/limitations and procedures (samples and reagents needed) for Western Blot assays and recognize examples. 21bC: Describe the immunologic concepts, advantages/limitations and procedures (samples and reagents needed) for Immunohistochemistry assays and recognize examples.

21cC: Given a scenario and results from Western Blot and Immunohistochemistry assays, be able to interpret the results in terms of: Primary/Secondary exposure to a pathogen, Infection, Vaccination status, Disease status.

22aC: Describe the immunologic concepts, need for zone of equivalence, advantages/limitations and procedures (samples and reagents needed) for Precipitation tests and recognize: Single Immunodiffusion tests (Coggins), Radial Immunodiffusion tests.

22b: Describe the immunologic concepts, need for zone of equivalence, advantages/limitations and procedures for Agglutination tests (Hemagglutination, Hemagglutination inhibition, latex bead agglutination and bacterial agglutination tests)

22cC: Given a scenario and results from Precipitation and Agglutination assays, be able to interpret the results in terms of: Primary/Secondary exposure to a pathogen, Infection, Vaccination status, Disease status.

23aC: Describe the immunologic concepts, advantages/limitations and procedures (samples and reagents needed) for Neutralization tests and recognize examples such as serum neutralization test used for rabies serology (RFFIT and FAVN).

23bC: Describe the immunologic concepts, advantages/limitations and procedures (samples and reagents needed) for Complement Fixation tests and recognize examples

23cC: Given a scenario and results from Neutralization and Complement Fixation assays, be able to interpret the results in terms of: Primary/Secondary exposure to a pathogen, Infection, Vaccination status, Disease status.

6

24aC: Describe the concepts of sensitivity and specificity of a diagnostic test

24bC: Given appropriate data, be able to identify/calculate the sensitivity, specificity of the test or the expected TP/TN/FP/FN.

24cC: Given the sensitivity/specificity of specific diagnostic tests, identify which test is most useful to use in a given scenario.

25aD: Describe the events that occur with sensitization (priming) and second exposure to an allergen

25bD: Describe the mechanisms of Type I hypersensitivity and timing of clinical signs.

25cD: Describe the antibody classes and cellular infiltrates involved in Type I hypersensitivity.

26dD: Recognize the clinical signs commonly associated with Type 1 hypersensitivities

26aD: Describe the mechanisms of Type II hypersensitivity and timing of clinical signs.

26bD: Describe the antibody classes and cellular infiltrates involved in Type II hypersensitivity.

27aD: Describe the mechanisms of Type III and IV hypersensitivities and timing of clinical signs.

27bD: Describe the antibody classes and cellular infiltrates involved in Type III and IV hypersensitivity.

27cD: Describe the diagnostic tests used to diagnose the type of hypersensitivity present.

• Exams: There will be two exams for the course, which will consist of multiple choice questions (MCQs) totaling 90 points:
  • Midterm Exam: 45 questions (45 points)
  • Final Exam: 45 questions (45 points)
  • Both exams will take place on Examsoft, MCQ, and students will have 90 minutes to complete each exam
  • Students will have access to the exams the day of the exam.
• A make-up exam will be given ONLY when the student has an EXCUSED absence. Only documented excuses, via the University Health Clinic, or via the SGU web page (under General/Medical Excuse Submissions), will be accepted. Excuses that are issued after the examination will not be accepted. Do not expect to be excused for weddings or birthdays. Funerals of very close family members are adequate justification. Excuses to attend special meetings will be considered through the SVM Associate Dean of Students Office and will include assessment of the student's level of academic performance. SGU policy: no wristwatches will be allowed into exams, not on wrists or on the desktop. Exams and quizzes are sequestered. The only time when questions can be viewed is during the exam. Any make-up exams may be given in an ESSAY, Short-Answer or Oral Format. (Must comply with SGU and SVM assessment guidelines)

All other exam policies are followed according to the SGU Examination Policy and the Student handbook.

Grading Scale

Please note: The course director enters in the raw scores (points). The computer then calculates the percent and assigns the letter grade to that percent. Percents are carried out to TWO decimal points. There is no provision in this course to obtain additional points.

Combine provided notes and lectures. All assessment will be derived from information in the Lecture PPTs and Long Notes. Recommend reading Long Notes prior to the lecture on that topic.

Students are expected to read the class notes before the lecture covering the material. Students are expected to attend all lectures and are encouraged to participate in forum discussions. Students are expected to contact the course instructor early on if they are having difficulty. Students are expected to take full advantage of DES and other SGU resources for academic help.

1. Professional behavior is expected at all times regardless of online format.

Students are expected to be available during the standard 8:30am-5:20pm AST school day, to attend, engage with in-person/online content, and participate in all classes and clinical rotations for which they have registered. Employment is not an excusable absence. Although attendance, engagement, and participation may not be recorded at every academic activity, attendance, engagement, and participation is graded for mandatory sessions. Students’ lack of attendance, engagement, and participation may adversely affect their academic status as specified in the grading policy.

If failure to attend, engage, or participate in individual classes, examinations, and online activities, or from the University itself is anticipated, or occurs spontaneously due to illness or other extenuating circumstances, proper notification procedures must be followed.

Students who fail to attend an examination (Sakai quiz/test or ExamSoft) or submit an assignment by the deadline without a valid reason (see student manual: SGUSVM POLICY ON AN EXCUSED ABSENCE (EA) FOR STUDENTS) will receive a score of “O” points for the examination.

Students who have technical issues during the examination MUST inform the Course Director (s) (dstone@sgu.edu) and IT (tellexaminationservices@sgu.edu OR support@sgu.edu OR call 1-631-665-8500 ext. 4444 (US, NU, International) OR 1-473-439-2000 ext. 4444 (Grenada), AND Dean of Students (DOS@sgu.edu) during the open period for the examination. Failure to do so immediately will result in the student receiving the highest score recorded at the time, but NOT being eligible to take a completion examination.

Scheduling of examinations (regular, re-sit, completion, comprehensive, or exemption) is at the discretion of the University. Completion exams will be scheduled within 7 days of the original exam date. Re-sit examination will be scheduled in the first week of the following term.

All students are responsible for knowing and complying with the University’s Code of Conduct and the guidelines. Students must read and then sign the Honor Code statement at the start of examinations to indicate that they will comply with the University Code of Conduct.

Prior to Exam Day

1. Each student is required to have a laptop for the purpose of taking computer- based examinations (e-Exams) at SGU. Students must ensure that their laptops meet the current minimum system requirements prior to exam day:
2. Examinees must use their MY SGU Member Center username and password to access the Custom Home Page (www.examsoft.com/sgu) created by ExamSoft for the University.
3. Examinees are responsible for downloading and registering the latest version of Examplify on their laptop prior to exam day. Once Examplify has been successfully downloaded, examinees are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the software by downloading and taking practice exams.
4. Examinees are responsible for setting their laptop up for ExamMonitor prior to the exam (see links below).
5. Examinees will be notified via MyCourses, of all exam related information. Email notifications will also be sent from ExamSoft Support to examinees, notifying them of examinations available for downloading.
6. Examinees experiencing difficulties with their laptop are encouraged to visit the IT department for assistance prior to exam day. Examinees needing a laptop must visit the Office of Institutional Advancement (OIA) to request an exam loaner.
7. Examinees should visit the following information to familiarize themselves with the online proctored exam format and set up their baseline photo.
   1. A Examsoft/ExamID quick guide for students (Please note that the current Examplify version is 2.3.8)
   2. The Examsoft student perspective video 30mins
   3. The Examsoft/ExamID FAQ
   4. Examsoft information page
   5. The general Reminders/Guidelines

The materials (such as slides, handouts and audio/video recordings) provided to students who are taking courses at St. George’s University (SGU) are the intellectual property of the Faculty and/or Administration of SGU. Students are free to use these materials solely for the purpose of group or individual study. Reproduction in whole or in part is prohibited.