FOUNDATIONS OF DISEASE SEVEN - PATHOLOGY OF THE ENDOCRINE AND NEUROLOGICAL SYSTEMS AND ORGANS OF SPECIAL SENSE - 2025/6

Module Overview

This module introduces the student to the pathology of the endocrine and neurological systems and organs of special sense, including the infectious disease agents that affect these systems. These diseases will be presented in context of One Health and underpinned with clinical case examples.

Module provider

School of Veterinary Medicine

Module Leader

ALNAJJAR Sarhad (Vet Med)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Pathology of the organs of special sense – infectious, inflammatory, immune-mediated, toxic, congenital disorders, degenerative, trauma, neoplasia




Responses to injury of the eye and lids – trauma, inflammation and repair




Diseases of the globe as a whole – including glaucoma




Corneal and uveal diseases




Bacterial and parasitic pathogens affecting the eye: Moraxella, Pseudomonas, Onchocerca




Inflammation and infectious agents of the external, middle and inner ear.

Ear neoplasia




Pathology of the endocrine system – inflammatory, toxin-related, congenital, degenerative




Disorders of functional endocrine hypo- or hyperactivity – abnormal pituitary, thyroid parathyroid, adrenal and endocrine pancreas function. Abnormal lipid metabolism.




Pathology of the endocrine organs – neoplasia




Pathology of the endocrine pancreas – loss of function diabetes mellitus




Diabetes as a global phenomenon – cats, dogs, fat ponies, obesity in man. Comparative pathology




Neuropathology  – congenital disorders, degenerative conditions, disorders of mobility, neoplasia




Terminology of neuropathology and central and peripheral nervous system response to injury




Inflammatory conditions of the central and peripheral nervous system




Traumatic and compressive injuries to the central and peripheral nervous system




Neurotoxic substances




Bacterial pathogens affecting the CNS/PNS: Listeria, Clostridium




Bacterial encephalitis and meningitis




Parasitic infections affecting the CNS: Protozoa, Arthropods, Cestodes




Viral pathogens affecting the CNS/PNS: Alphaviruses (Equine encephalitidae), Rabies (Rhabdoviridae), Bornavirus and Flaviviridae (West Nile virus, TBE and Japanese encephalitis), Herpesviridea (Pseudorabies, HSV and others)




Prions and Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (BSE, scrapie CWD and others)




Nutritional pathology – the pathobiochemistry of dietary imbalances - biochemical & nutritional basis of disease; the use of biochemical tests for screening, diagnosis and management




 




Practicals




Gross pathology of the organs of special sense – eye and ear




Otoscopy examination/demonstration




ophthalmoscopy examination/demonstration




Neuropathology – gross pathology and histopathology

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate

• Practical skills in examining, recognising, describing and interpreting gross and microscopic specimens


• Record writing ability and understanding and use of terminology


• Encourage teamwork and participation in group learning  in the practical sessions .


• Content knowledge of general pathology, infectious and non-infectious disease mechanisms

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

Written examination – 100%

(Exam Units are onsite closed-booked invigilated fixed-time assessments. They are delivered through SurreyLearn using campus PC Labs)

Formative Assessment and Feedback

A formative quiz with questions consistent with summative examination questions is made available in week 9.

Module aims

• Students will be introduced to the terminology of systemic organ of special sense and endocrine system pathology based on aetiopathogenesis, and gross and microscopic appearance of non-infectious and infectious lesions.
• Students will develop the ability to recognise, describe and interpret the abnormal and write a meaningful report of findings using the appropriate terminology and methods to record findings 

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

• Provide infectious and non-infectious disease pathology in the context of One health, One medicine


• Allow students to develop skills in examining specimens, describing and interpreting them.


• Provide students with the skills to record pathological findings using appropriate terminology

The learning and teaching methods include:

• Lectures, flipped classroom, small group sessions, practical classes using microscopy and anatomic pathologic specimens, images

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: VMS2007

Other information

The Surrey Framework consists of the attributes: employability, global and cultural capabilities, digital capabilities, sustainability and resourcefulness and resilience. This module includes the following vital topics, which further develop one or more of the attributes as indicated

Employability - Students will be assessed in the examination on the core knowledge required for practicing for the veterinary profession. 

Resourcefulness and Resilience - The student can use the online self-assessment quiz to improve resourcefulness and resilience as a formative experience for the preparation for the online examination at the end of the semester.

Digital Capabilities - The use of online assessment enhancing digital capabilities. 

Sustainability - The students will be exposed to comparative medicine through the one health and endocrine pathology and will enhance their sustainability including a focus on production animal health, and zoonotic diseases of worldwide importance eg, rabies. 

 

 

 

 

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.