Interactive Case Study for Virus Hunter: Monitoring Nipah Virus in Bat Populations

Resource Type
Description
This interactive video explores how scientists identify which bat populations are infected with Nipah virus and could transmit the virus to humans.
The video follows the research of Jonathan Epstein and his colleagues at EcoHealth Alliance, who are monitoring Nipah virus in wild populations of fruit bats in Bangladesh. As students watch the video, they are prompted to answer questions that require them to predict steps in the research process and interpret data. Students also make connections to their own experiences and to other infectious diseases.
The “Student Worksheet” lists the questions embedded in the video. The “Educator Materials” document provides implementation tips from educators who have used interactive case studies in their classroom. It also provides additional discussion questions and guidance on assessing students’ responses.
The “Resource Google Folder” link directs to a Google Drive folder of resource documents in the Google Docs format. Not all downloadable documents for the resource may be available in this format. The Google Drive folder is set as “View Only”; to save a copy of a document in this folder to your Google Drive, open that document, then select File → “Make a copy.” These documents can be copied, modified, and distributed online following the Terms of Use listed in the “Details” section below, including crediting BioInteractive.
Student Learning Targets
- Identify the causes of zoonotic diseases.
- Describe the characteristics of a reservoir species.
- Explain how a mutation in a virus can help it spread more easily.
- Propose ways to reduce the spread of zoonotic diseases.
Estimated Time
Key Terms
disease transmission, emerging infectious disease, epidemiology, infection, mutation, outbreak, reservoir species, spillover, zoonotic disease
Terms of Use
Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.
Accessibility Level (WCAG compliance)
Version History
NGSS 2013
HS-LS1-1, HS-LS3-2; SEP7
AP Biology 2019
IST-4.A; SP6
IB Biology 2016
2.7, 6.3
AP Environmental Science 2020
Topic(s): 8.15
Learning Objectives: EIN-3.D
IB Environmental Systems and Societies 2017
3.3
Vision and Change 2009
CC1, CC2, CC3