84351 - Microbiology

Learning outcomes

Explain relationships and apply appropriate terminology relating to the structure, metabolism, genetics, and ecology of prokaryotic microorganisms, eukaryotic microorganisms, and viruses.

Course contents

• Definitions of infection and infectious disease
• Characteristics of bacteria, viruses, protozoa, fungi and helminths of medical importance
• Pathogenesis of infections and host defense
• Vaccines
• Antibacterial drugs, antiviral drugs
• Microbiological diagnosis
• Gram-positive and Gram-negative cocci (staphylococci, streptococci, Neisserieaeceae)
• Gram-positive rods (clostridia, Bacillus anthracis, Corynebacterium diphteriae, Listeria monocytogenes)
• Gram-negative rods belonging to Enterobacteriaceae
• Spirilli (Campylobacter jejuni, Helicobacter pylori)
• Mycobacteria
• Gram-negative rods (Bordetella pertussis, Haemophilus influenzae, Legionella pneumophila),
• Spirochetaes
• Chlamydiaceae, Mycoplasmataceae, Rickettsiaceae
• DNA viruses: Herpesviridae, Papillomaviridae, Adenoviridae, Parvovirus B19
• RNA viruses: respiratory viruses, including Orthomyxoviridae, Coronaviridae, Paramyxoviridae
• RNA viruses: hepatitis viruses, including Hepatitis A B, C, D and E viruses
• RNA viruses: Retroviridae
• RNA viruses: arboviruses, including Flaviviridae, Togaviridae, Bunyaviridae
• RNA viruses: viruses causing encephalitis,including Rhabdoviridae. Viruses causing gastroenteritis, including norovirus and rotavirus. Picornaviridae
• Enteric protozoa including Giardia intestinalis, Cryptosporidium spp., Entamoeba histolytica. Protozoa transmitted by sexual route (Trichomonas vaginalis).
• Foodborne protozoa: Toxoplasma gondii
• Vector-borne protozoa: Leishmania spp., Plasmodium spp.,Trypanosoma cruzi
• Soil-transmitted helminths, including Strongyloides stercoralis
• Teniasis and other foodborne infections caused by helminths
• Schistosomiasis
• Cutaneous and mucocutaneous mycosis (Candida albicans, dermatophytes)
• Systemic mycosis in the immunocompromised host (dimorphic fungi, Aspergillus spp., Candida spp, Cryptococcus spp., Pneumocystis jiroveci)

Readings/Bibliography

The lecture notes provided by the teachers on the UNIBO’s Virtuale platform constitute the required study material for the course.

Recommended reading: Patrick Murray, Ken S. Rosenthal, and Michael A. Pfaller. Medical Microbiology, 10th Edition, May 2025. Elsevier. Available at the University of Bologna Biomedical Library. This textbook is recommended as supplementary reading for students wishing to deepen their understanding of the topics covered in the course

Teaching methods

The course adopts a blended learning approach, combining face-to-face teaching with asynchronous learning activities delivered through the University of Bologna's Virtuale platform.

Face-to-face teaching includes:

• In-class lectures providing the theoretical foundations of medical microbiology.
• Hands-on demonstrations agar culture plates routinely used in clinical microbiology laboratories to familiarize students with bacterial colony morphology and culture media.
• Active learning strategies to promote student engagement, including multiple-choice quizzes and app-based polls
  

Asynchronous learning activities on Virtuale complement classroom teaching and include:

• Guided learning modules with selected reading materials and multimedia resources.
• Self-assessment quizzes with automated feedback.
• A dedicated activity, "Microbiology in the News," invites students to read and critically discuss recent scientific publications and public health news selected by the teaching staff and made available on Virtuale. Resources may include reports and updates from international health organizations (e.g., WHO, ECDC, CDC) as well as articles from international news media. The aim is to place the course content within the context of current local and global public health challenges, encouraging students to relate microbiological concepts to real-world events, and appreciate the role of microbiology in contemporary medical practice.

Assessment methods

• Active participation in class activities (such as app-based multiple-choice quizzes and critical discussion during classes) may contribute up to 2 bonus points (out of 30) to be added to the final examination grade.
• To take the test, students will need to register via AlmaEsami by the deadline set by the application.
• The exam consists of two parts. The first part is composed of a questionnaire with 20 multiple choice questions with 4 possible answers, of which only one is correct. 1 point will be awarded for each correct answer, without any penalty in the event of a wrong or missing answer.
  The second part consists in the answer to two open questions, of which one concerning topics of general microbiology; answer will be awarded from 0 to 6 points based on the candidate's ability to present the topic in a correct, concise and complete way.
• The time available for the exam will be 50 minutes.
• The final grade will be calculated as the sum of the points obtained in the multiple-choice section and the open-ended questions, to which any bonus points earned through participation in class activities (up to a maximum of 2 points) will be added. The examination is passed having acquired at least 18 points. Honors will be awarded to candidates who have achieved more than 30 points.
• The results will be published on Almaesami in the students' reserved area by a date specified for each exam session. Students who wish to reject the grade must notify the commission within 1 working day from the publication. In absence of any notification the exam results will be registered.
  

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or temporary or permanent disabilities are strongly encouraged to contact the University's Disability and Specific Learning Disorders Support Service as early as possible: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en . The Service will assess individual needs and, where appropriate, propose reasonable accommodations. Any proposed accommodations must be submitted to the course teachers for approval at least 15 days before the scheduled assessment. The teachers will evaluate the appropriateness of the requested accommodations in relation to the intended learning outcomes and the educational objectives of the course.

Teaching tools

• Lectures will be supported by Power Point slides. Lecture notes will be available online at the beginning of each lecture.
• On selected lectures, students can access learning modules on Virtuale containing: videos, microbiology news, essential reading material. Teaching units conclude with an online quiz on Virtuale.
• The teaching material is available at https://virtuale.unibo.it/ by using student's username and password

Office hours

See the website of Stefania Varani