42828 - Mycology and Parasitology Techniques (CE)

Learning outcomes

At the end of this course the student will get the knowledge about the most commonly applied laboratory techniques for the identification of fungal and parasitic human diseases

Course contents

Introductory section:

• Pre-analytical phase.
• Non-conformity.
• Treatment and validity of the biological matrices under study.
• Typology of matrices and their treatment.
• Diagnostic process of the matrices under study.

  Parasitology section on blood protozoa and SRE:

• Sampling methods for diagnosis.
• Microscopy techniques: Preparation of microscopic preparations, staining and concentration techniques.
• Rapid immunochromatographic and immunoassays for antibody and antigen research.
• Molecular biology techniques.

  Parasitology section on intestinal and other protozoa:

• Sampling methods for macroscopic diagnosis and evaluation.
• Microscopy techniques: Preparation of microscopic preparations, staining and concentration techniques.
• Rapid immunochromatographic and serology tests.

  Parasitology section on Metazoa:

• Sampling methods for helminthiasis diagnosis and macroscopic evaluation;
• Microscopy techniques for blood and intestinal helminths.
• Further techniques for helminthiasis diagnosis: antigen and antibody research, cultures, molecular biology.

  Section on microscopic mushrooms:

• Sampling methods for diagnosis of yeast and mould mycoses;
• Species identification techniques: in vitro morphology, biochemical tests and mass spectrometry.
• Susceptibility testing for antimycotics.

  In-depth methods beyond those previously presented:

• ELISA.
• Western blotting.
• Direct and Indirect immunofluorescence.
• MALDI TOF-MS
• Introduction to the NGS Illumina method.

  In-depth parasitoses:

• Giardia duodenalis.
• Trichomonas vaginalis.
• Trypanosoma.
• Leishmania.
• Entoamoeba histolytica.
• Rare or free-living amoebae.
• Toxoplasma gondii.
• Plasmodium falciparum.
• Enterobium vermicularis.
• Strongyloides stercoralis.
• Ascaris lumbricoides.
• Lymphatic filariasis.
• Onchocerca volvulus.
• Taenia saginata and Taenia solium.

Readings/Bibliography

Slides provided by the lecturer

Parasitological maps: THE LABORATORY OF PROTOZOOLOGY "Laboratory Diagnosis of Protozoan Diseases".

Maria Grazia Coppola

ISBN 978-88-89132-33-3

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) DPDx - Laboratory Identification of Parasites of Public Health Concern [https://www.cdc.gov/dpdx/index.html]

Bench aids for the diagnosis of filarial infections - World Health Organization (WHO)

ISBN 92-4-154489-9

Diagnostic Pathway of Blood and Endothelial Parasitoses (version January 2022)

Study Committee for Parasitology of the Association of Italian Clinical Microbiologists (AMCLI-CoSP)

The Pocket Guide to Fungal Infection (2000)

Malcolm D. Richardson and Elizabeth M. Johnson

ISBN 0-632-05325-9

Teaching methods

Lectures and on-going exercises.

Assessment methods

The assessment and evaluation of learning takes place by means of an oral final examination.

The final grade for the integrated course of Clinical Microbiology II is obtained by weighted average of the final grades of the component subjects. The assessments obtained in the various tests have no expiry date.

Teaching tools

Computer with video projector for presentations.

Office hours

See the website of Vittorio Sambri