21365 - General Microbiology

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course the student will have a preparation that allows him to understand what are the micro-organisms, which ones are pathogenic for humans and their role in infectious diseases, particularly with regard to the oral cavity.

The student will be able to 1) know and use tools to prevent infectious diseases; 2) know the role of the immune response; 3) learn about the importance and use of serums and vaccines in dental practice; 4) know the structure, metabolism, reproduction and the pathogenetic mechanisms of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses pathogenic to humans; 5) learn about the various forms of resistance: bacterial spores, fungal spores, protozoan cysts, viruses with and without pericapsid; 6) know the procedures of disinfection and sterilization; 7) know the classification, cultivation and identification of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses that colonize the mucous membranes of the oral cavity; 8) known bacteria that are part of structure of biofilm.

Course contents

The General Microbiology Module is part of the Integrated Course “ETIOPATHOGENESIS OF DISEASES.” The syllabus outlined below refers exclusively to this individual module.

The bacterial cell, metabolism, cell growth and the bacterial cell cycle, bacterial genetics, mechanisms of bacterial pathogenicity, antibacterial drugs, disinfection and sterilization, general principles of bacteriological diagnosis.

Bacteria of human interest (Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Spirochaetes, Neisseria, Micobacteria, anaerobes, Enterobacteria)

General characteristics of fungi; fungi of human interest (Candida).

Chemical composition and structure of the viruses, the virus classification, the multiplication and cultivation of the viruses, mechanisms of viral pathogenicity, oncogenic viruses, general principles of virological diagnosis.

Viruses of human interest (HIV, herpes viruses, HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV)

Biological risk.

 

Students are expected to possess the basic knowledge normally acquired during secondary school education

Readings/Bibliography

The teaching materials made available to students by the instructor on Virtuale are more than sufficient to successfully pass the General Microbiology module examination.

Students who are interested may consult Microbiology textbooks for further personal study. Examples include: ‘Principi di Microbiologia Medica’, La Placa, Edises; oppure 'Principi di Microbiologia Medica, Antonelli, Clementi, Pozzi, Rossolini

Teaching methods

During the lectures, the topics included in the course syllabus will be presented and developed. Ample time will be devoted to students’ questions, fostering in-depth discussion of the subjects covered.

Assessment methods

Written midterm assessment consisting of multiple-choice questions and short written responses.

The written examination will be conducted in person, in the classroom, and in paper-based format.

The purpose of the assessment is to evaluate the student's ability to apply their acquired knowledge and to make the necessary logical and deductive connections.

The test will consist of 22 multiple-choice questions (1 point for each correct answer and 0 points for incorrect or unanswered questions) and 2 open-ended questions (maximum 5 points each).

With regard to the examination, the use of AI (Artificial Intelligence) is prohibited. Any use of AI constitutes a violation of academic integrity.

Students with learning disorders and\or temporary or permanent disabilities: please, contact the office responsible (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en/for-students ) as soon as possible so that they can propose acceptable adjustments. The request for adaptation must be submitted in advance (15 days before the exam date) to the lecturer, who will assess the appropriateness of the adjustments, taking into account the teaching objectives.

Teaching tools

The lecture slides, in PDF format, will be made available by the instructor on the Virtuale platform.

AI can be a useful tool to support individual study through further exploration of topics, content summaries, and self-assessment activities.

Office hours

See the website of Claudio Foschi