03257 - Clinical Microbiology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student will know:

general characteristic of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi and parasites;

routes of transmission;

the establishment of pathogenic host-parasite interaction;

the role of immunity during the course of infection;

the meaning of production of infection and production of disease;

the diagnosis of infection. Collection of specimens, request for testing, tests employed, interpretation of tests;

basic concept of prophylaxis and therapy;

most relevant bacteria, viruses, fungi and protozoa (focusing on their characteristic, mechanism of action, symptoms, diagnosis, therapy, available vaccine).

Course contents

Microbiological, virological and serological diagnosis.

Respiratory viral infections: Rhinoviruses/Enteroviruses, Human respiratory syncytial virus, Metapneumovirus, Human parainfluenza viruses, Adenoviruses, Human Influenza Virus, Coronaviruses, Bocaviruses.

Respiratory bacterial infections: Streptococcus pyogenes, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Moraxella (Branhamella) catarrhalis, Corynebacterium diphtheriae, Bordetella pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Legionella pneumophila, Chlamydia pneumoniae, Chlamydia psittaci, Mycoplasma pneumoniae.

Sexually transmitted infections: Neisseria gonorrhoeae, Chlamydia trachomatis, Treponema pallidum, Herpes Simplex Viruses, Papillomavirus.

Tuberculosis

Vertical transmission infections: Rubella virus, Cytomegalovirus, Toxoplasma gondii.

Urinary infections: Escherichia coli.

Gastrointestinal infections: Helicobacter pylori, Escherichia coli, Salmonella spp., Shigella spp., Campylobacter spp., Yersinia spp., Vibrio cholerae, Clostridium difficile, Rotavirus, fecal Adenovirus, Norovirus, Astrovirus, Entoameba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium spp.

Antiviral and antibacterial drugs. Drug resistance.

Infections of the central nervous system: Neisseria meningitidis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Listeria monocytogenes, Cryptococcus neoformans, Enteroviruses, Herpes Viruses.

Sepsis.

Emerging infections: Chikungunya virus, Dengue virus, Zika virus, West Nile virus, Toscana virus, MERS-CoV (Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus).

HIV

Hepatitis Viruses (HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, HEV).

Vaccine-preventable diseases: Measles, Rubella, Varicella-zoster virus, Bordetella pertussis.

Readings/Bibliography

Suggested text-book: Michele La Placa. Principi di Microbiologia Medica, Edises, XIV Ed.

Updated teaching materials are provided on the AMS campus.

 

Teaching methods

In-class lectures will be supported by video projector and PC.

Practical activity to be carried out in the laboratory.

 

Assessment methods

The examination will evaluate whether the students have mastered the above listed skills and have reached the teaching objectives. The final oral examination will focus on specific questions about bacteriology, virology, mycology and parassitology (the mechanisms of pathogenesis, routes of transmission, microbiological diagnosis, therapy and vaccines) and the etiopathogenesis of dental and gum diseases.

Teaching tools

In-class lectures will be supported by slides. Most of slides will be available online at the end of the course (AMS Campus, http//campus.unibo.it).

Office hours

See the website of Tiziana Lazzarotto

See the website of Maria Carla Re

See the website of Isabella Bon