Microbiology

A.Y. 2024/2025
4
Max ECTS
48
Overall hours
SSD
MED/07
Language
English
Learning objectives
The course focuses on the causes of cell, tissue, and organ injury (general pathology), on the major groups of microbial pathogens that cause human diseases (microbiology).
Expected learning outcomes
At the end of the course, students will gain understanding of how the body reacts to physical and biological agents to recover homeostasis and the main microbial pathogens and body's immune reactions to infections
Single course

This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.

Course syllabus and organization

Single session

Responsible
Course syllabus
MICROBIOLOGY - 1ST SEMESTER

Legend: A = asynchronous learning

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

BLOCK 1: BASIC CONCEPTS ON BACTERIA
1. Prokaryotic cell structure and function
2. Microbial classification and pathogenesis
4. Diagnosis of Bacterial Infections
5. Antimicrobials and Mechanisms of Antimicrobial resistance
6. Bases of Immune Response (A)
7. Catalase & Coagulase Tests (A)

BLOCK 2: BACTERIOLOGY
1. Aerobic gram positive cocci: Staphylococci
2. Aerobic gram positive cocci: Streptococci
3. Aerobic gram positive cocci: Enterococci
4. Acid Fast Bacteria
5. Aerobic gram negative cocci: Neisseria
6. Aerobic gram negative fastidious: Haemophilus and Bordetella
7. Aerobic gram positive Rods
8. Nosocomial Infections: risk for sepsis and the weapon of surveillance
9. ESKAPEs: Klebsiella Pneumoniae and Acinetobacter baumannii
10. ESKAPEs: Pseudomonas Aeruginosa
11. Anaerobes
12.Rigid cell wall Obligate Intracellular: Chlamydia (A)
13.Aerobic gram negative Rods: Vibrio and Aeromonas (A)
14.Anaerobic rod or spiral shaped gram negative: Campylobacter and Helicobacter pylori (A)
15.Anaerobic gram positive rods: Bacillaceae (A)
16.Spirochetes (A)

BLOCK 3: BASIC CONCEPTS ON VIRUSES
1. Eukaryotic viruses: structure and function
2. Viral classification and pathogenesis
4. Diagnosis of Viral Infections
5. Antiviral agents and Mechanisms of Antiviral resistance

BLOCK 4: VIROLOGY
1. DNA viruses: Papovaviridae
2. DNA viruses: Herpesviridae, alpha-herpesviruses
3. DNA viruses: Herpesviridae, beta and gamma-herpesviruses
4. DNA viruses: Adenoviridae
5. DNA viruses: Parvoviridae and Poxviridae
6. RNA viruses: Orthomixoviridae
7. RNA viruses: Paramixoviridae and Pneumoviridae
8. RNA viruses: Picornaviridae
9. RNA viruses: Coronaviridae
10. Viral hepatitis I: Hepatitis A virus, Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis D virus
11. Viral hepatitis II: Hepatitis C virus, Hepatitis E virus, Hepatitis G virus
12. Retroviridae: Human Immunodeficiency Virus.
13. Vaccines
14. Emerging and Reemerging viruses: Flaviviridae (A)
15. Emerging and Reemerging viruses: Filoviridae (A)
16. Emerging and Reemerging viruses: Togaviridae (A)

BLOCK 5: PARASITES AND FUNGI
1.Fungi: basic features and classification (A)
2. Fungi of medical relevance: invasive infection, diagnosis and treatment (A)
2. Parasites: basic features (A)
3. Parasites of medical relevance: Intestinal and urogenital protozoa (A)
4. Parasites of medical relevance: blood and tissue protozoa (A)
5. Parasites of medical relevance: Helminthes (A)

EXPECTED LEARNING OUTCOMES

BLOCK 1: BASIC CONCEPTS ON BACTERIA
Upon completion of the BLOCK 1, Students should be able to:
- define prokariotic cells and structure
- provide a properly classification of bacteria
- describe mechanisms of replication
- illustrate the mechanisms that increase bacterial variability - coniugation, transformation, tranduction
- describe the mechanisms of bacterial pathogenesis
- illustrate the main virulence factors of the bacteria (capsule, endotoxins and exotoxins and relative examples)
- illustrates the five classes of antimicrobials and the different mechanisms of drug resistance with a proper definition of intrinsic and acquired resistance.
- be aware of the contribution of the microbiology lab to the diagnosis and management of bacterial infections.

BLOCK 2: BACTERIOLOGY
Upon completion of the BLOCK 2, Students should be able to:
- illustrate the distinctive features of the different types of bacteria;
- illustrate the mechanisms of infection and the clinical presentation for each bacterium;
- explore the mechanisms of pathogenicity and virulence for each bacterium;
- illustrate treatment and mechanisms of drug resistance for each bacterium;
- recognize the way of transmission in hospitals, communities, and population and the methods used to control it.

BLOCK 3: BASIC CONCEPTS ON VIRUSES
Upon completion of the BLOCK 3, Students should be able to:
- define viruses and structure;
- provide a properly classification of viruses and describe their replication strategies;
- illustrate the mechanisms that increase genetic variability in viruses;
- describe the mechanisms of viral pathogenesis;
- illustrate the main route of viral transmission and dissemination;
- define properly the viral latency and clinical latency;
- illustrate the oncogenic potential of viruses;
- be aware of the contribution of the microbiology lab to the diagnosis and management of viral infections;
- illustrates the antiviral agents and mechanisms of drug resistance.

BLOCK 4: VIROLOGY
Upon completion of the BLOCK 4, Students should be able to:
- illustrate structures, genome organization, and replication properties of each viral family;
- illustrate the way of transmission, infection and clinical presentation for each viral family (and its members);
- explore the mechanisms of pathogenicity and properly recognize risk of acute, chronic or latent infections for each viral family (and its members);
- illustrate if antiviral therapy is available or not and mechanisms of drug resistance for each viral family (and its members);
- Demonstrate the principles of vaccine preparation and the use of vaccines in immunization practice.

BLOCK 5: PARASITES AND FUNGI
Upon completion of the BLOCK 4, Students should be able to:
- illustrate the structure, life-cycle, and classification of fungi;
- describe properly the pathogenesis, virulence and clinical manifestations of fungi;
- illustrate the way of transmission, pathogenesis, treatment, drug resistance and diagnosis of the fungi of medical relevance;
- illustrate structure, morphology, genome organization and replication of parasites;
- describe properly the way of transmission, life-cycle, pathogenesis, clinical features, diagnosis and treatment of parasites of medical relevance.
Prerequisites for admission
To learn properly topics covered by the Microbiology course, it is necessary for the students to know the basic concepts of molecular biology, pathology, and immunology.
Teaching methods
Synchronous learning: classroom lectures (32 hours).
Asynchronous learning: The teaching staff will provide e-learning and text-based (e-mail, electronic documents) material (16 hours). Students will then have chance to discuss the topic with the teaching staff during scheduled forum sessions. A final multi-choice based test will be provided at the end of the course to assess what students have learned throughout the course and the asynchronous lessons.
Teaching Resources
TEXTBOOK:
· P Murray, K Rosenthal, M Pfaller. MEDICAL MICROBIOLOGY. 9th ed. Elsevier 2020

SUPPLEMENTAL LEARNING MATERIAL:
Additional material, like slides, or research articles related to each synchronous and asynchronous lecture and further reading material to understand the topics will be provided.
Assessment methods and Criteria
The exam will be based on an oral examination at the end of the course. The teaching staff will assess the ability of the student to apply the concepts learned during the course to understand and solve microbiological issues. The following will be assessed: communication skills, learning skills, making right hypothesis.
The examination will be assessed according to the following criteria:
Not passed: important deficiencies and/or inaccuracies in the knowledge and understanding of the topics; limited capacity for analysis and synthesis, frequent generalizations.
18-20: knowledge and understanding of the topics as soon as sufficient with possible imperfections. Capacity for analysis, sufficient synthesis and argumentation capacity.
21-23: Knowledge and understanding of the general topics; Ability to analyse and summarise correctly with consistent logical argumentation.
24-26: Discreet knowledge and understanding of the topics; good capacity for analysis and synthesis with rigorously expressed arguments.
27-29: Comprehensive knowledge and understanding of the topics; considerable capacity for analysis, synthesis. Good argumentation capacity.
30-30L: Excellent level of knowledge and understanding of the topics. Remarkable capacity of analysis and synthesis. Arguments expressed in an original and proper way.

Attendance is required to be allowed to take the exam. Unexcused absence is tolerated up to 34% of the course activities. University policy regarding excused illness is followed.
Registration through SIFA is mandatory
MED/07 - MICROBIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY - University credits: 4
Lessons: 40 hours
: 8 hours
Professor: Alteri Claudia
Shifts:
Turno
Professor: Alteri Claudia
Educational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Available on Teams and in presence, day and time to be agreed upon via e-mail
Teams or in presence