MICROBIOLOGY AND APPLIED MICROBIOLOGY
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- Versione italiana
- Academic year
- 2017/2018
- Teacher
- PEGGY CARLA RAFFAELLA MARCONI
- Credits
- 9
- Didactic period
- Secondo Semestre
- SSD
- MED/07
Training objectives
- Microbiology is a developing discipline, a science that joins other disciplines such as biology, molecular biology, chemistry and biochemistry, genetics etc. The course aims, through the connections between disciplines, to provide students with sufficient information to understand the biology of microorganisms and microbial habitats.
On completion of the Course a student should be able to:
• Acquire basic knowledge of the world of microorganisms in relation to cellular organization, genetics, metabolism and their role in nature;
• Understand the positive interactions and harmful interactions between organism and environment and between organism and man.
• Microbial diseases, their pathogenic mechanisms;
• Biological activity at the base of antimicrobial drugs;
• The role of vaccines in reducing infections and diseases.
The skills that will be acquired are as follows:
• molecular approaches to the development of antimicrobial drugs and their uses, antibiotic resistance mechanisms and preventive strategies;
• the use of microorganisms in industrial processes and production;
• molecular approaches to the development of antimicrobial vaccines
The practical part of the course is intended to provide the student with a basic knowledge about techniques used in microbiological diagnostic and to acquire skills in critical analysis of the results obtained in microbiological laboratories. The ultimate goal is to put into practice the theoretical concepts learned during the course and to provide students with a theoretical and practical framework for some major microbiological methods currently used in different fields including industrial, biomedical and environmental. Prerequisites
- No formal propedeuticity is required. However, in order to understand the course, basic knowledge in cellular biology, chemistry and biochemistry is required.
Course programme
- The program covers the following topics:
The history of microbiology. Characteristics of Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells. Microorganisms and their classification.
General bacteriology: structures of the bacterial cell. Classification and morphology of bacteria and their metabolism. Bacterial differentiation: cell division, phases of growth, sporulation process, and biofilm. Bacterial Genetics. Disinfection and sterilization processes. The human microbiota. Mechanisms of pathogenicity in humans and related diseases. Bacterial toxins. Toxins protein in nature: botulinum toxin, tetanus toxin, diphtheria toxin, cholera toxin their characteristics and mechanisms of action. Endotoxins. Bacteriological diagnosis. Antibacterial drugs. Use of microorganisms in industrial processes and production (food production by microorganisms: yogurt, beer, bread etc. Probiotics. ). Biotechnologies in pharmaceutical field. Microorganisms and bioremediation (outline the role of microorganisms in the degradation of natural and xenobiotic compounds).
General Virology: Viruses and their classification, structure and replication. Viral pathogenesis. Antiviral drugs. General rules for laboratory diagnosis: serologic and molecular diagnosis.
General Mycology: Fungi and their classification, structure and replication. Mechanisms of pathogenicity. Superficial and deep mycoses Mycosis: Candida, Dermatophytes, Aspergillus and Cryptococcus. Antifungal drugs.
Principles of Immunology: phagocytosis, innate immunity and acquired immunity. Immune responses against microbial invasion. General information on vaccines and vaccination strategies currently employed.
Bacteriology, main human pathogen species: staphylococci, streptococci, Corynebacteria, clostridia, Bacilli, Enterobacteriaceae (e. coli, salmonella, Vibrio, Shighelle, etc.), Helicobacter, Haemophilus, Bordetella, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, Mycobacteria, Pseudomonas, Neisserieae, Spirochete
Virology main human pathogen species: DNA viruses: Papillomavirus, herpes virus, Parvovirus, Adenovirus, Hepadnavirus. RNA virus: Reovirus (Rotavirus), Picornavirus (Enterovirus, Rhinovirus), Togavirus, Flavivirus, human retroviruses (Lentivirus: HIV), Orthomyxovirus, Paramyxovirus.
Laboratory practice:
Liquid and solid culture media preparation, sterilization. Withdrawal from the mouth or skin and seeding of biological samples. Isolation of pure cultures of bacteria and yeast on selective media and biochemical identification and analysis of the morphology of colonies. Microbiological staining techniques (Gram stains and fungal wet-mounts) and optical microscopic observation. Microbial sensitivities to antimicrobial agents: the disk diffusion method, the dilution methods (MIC, MBC). Determination of inhibitory activity of disinfectants. Cell cultures for viral infection and titration techniques. Didactic methods
- The course is organized as follows:
-64 hours of lectures on all topics of the course and direct assessment with the students, through dialogue and questions, the level of understanding of the various topics covered.
- 12/14 hours of laboratory practices that will put into practice the main microbiological topics and methods discussed in class. Learning assessment procedures
- The level of achievement of previously indicated learning objectives is assessed through a written and oral examination. In particular, the exam aims to evaluate the study of the matter and the understanding of the main topics of the course.
The written exam includes 4 open questions that will focus on the knowledge gained during the lectures. The oral examination enables to consider the conceptual clarity using an appropriate scientific terminology and analytical/critical approach of the student towards the concepts learned during the course.
In order to pass the written exam you must acquire a minimum score of 18 out of 30. The final score is determined by oral examination. Reference texts
- Students can take advantage of the educational material used for the lectures (slides), available on the web page of the course. This material, along with the notes taken during class and book recommendations will support and guide to the study and exam test preparation.
RECOMMENDED TEXTS:
• Pharmaceutical Microbiology. 2nd Edition – Carlone N., Pompei R. – Edises Publisher
• Microbiology – D.R Wessner, C. Dupont, T.C. Charles – Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
• Principles Of Medical Microbiology. 2nd Edition – G. Antonelli, M Clementi, G. Wells, G.M. Rajagopal –Casa Editrice Ambrosiana
• The Basics of Microbiology. A. Harvey, P.C. Champ, B. D Fisher – Zanichelli Publishing House
