MICROBIOLOGY - channel 1

The course aims to provide the student with the cognitive and methodological tools necessary to understand: 1) the mechanisms of infection in the host of microorganisms and parasites; 2) the essential biological characteristics of the microorganisms and parasites responsible for human infections; 3) microorganisms in relation to the environment; 4) infection control strategies; 5) the pathogenetic mechanisms of microorganisms and parasites responsible for human infections; 6) the methodological approach in the diagnostic assessment of infection diseases. Specific goals With reference to the learning objective of the mechanisms of infection in the host of microorganisms and parasites, the student must be able to: - Identify the different types of relationship that microorganisms and human parasites determine the host, differentiating the “infection” phenomenon from the “disease” one. - Correlate the aggressive mechanisms of microorganisms and parasites with the various “types” of infection and the induced pathological lesions. - Analyzing the critical factors that determine the “contagion” and the spread of microorganisms and parasites, correlating them with the relative peculiar biological characteristics. - Distinguish the different "types" of viral infection; differentiate a viral infection from that induced by other microorganisms and parasites. In reference to the objective of learning the essential biological characteristics of microorganisms and parasites responsible for human infections, the student must be able to: - Classify microorganisms and parasites within the various stages of aggregation of living matter (metazoans, prokaryotes, eukaryotes, viruses), correlating the degree of organization with the pathogenic action. - As part of the structural organization of microorganisms and parasites, identify the structures / functions necessary to carry out metabolic processes and replication and to determine the infection / disease in the host. - Correlate the phenomenon of variation and mutation of microorganisms and parasites with the pathogenic action and resistance to antimicrobial substances. With reference to the learning objective of the relationships between microorganisms and the environment, the student must be able to: - Evaluate the degree of resistance in the environment of microorganisms and parasites as a critical factor for host infection. With reference to the learning objective of the strategies for the control of infectious diseases, the student must be able to:Regarding "Chemotherapy": - Define the principle of "selective toxicity" aiming at the therapeutic use of antimicrobial substances. - Describe and classify the inhibitory mechanisms, the site of action, the spectrum of action of chemoantibiotics, antivirals, antifungal and antiprotozoal substances. - Indicate the biological prerequisites for chemo - antibiotic resistance (genotypic and phenotypic) and resistance to other antimicrobial agents (antivirals, antifungals, antiprotozoans). - Analyze the limits of antiviral chemotherapy in relation to the biological characteristics of the viruses and the pathogenetic characteristics of the viral infection. - Evaluate the experimental perspectives of interfering on the different functions of microorganisms and parasites by means of inhibiting substances. Regarding "Antimicrobial Vaccines": - Define vaccination practice by correlating it with the prevention of human infections and possibly with the treatment of an infectious disease (vaccine prophylaxis / vaccinotherapy). - Define the practice of treatment with immune sera (seroprophylaxis and serotherapy) correlating it with the prevention of human infections and with the treatment of an infectious disease. - Indicate the composition of an antimicrobial vaccine and an immune serum. - Identify the current significance and limitations of vaccination in the control (or eradication) of bacterial and viral infections.To evaluate current results and experimental perspectives in the field of fungal and parasitic infection prophylaxis. - List the main antimicrobial vaccines currently in use, defining their essential characteristics. - Identify the limits of vaccination with whole microorganisms (killed or attenuated) by analyzing the theoretical - applicative perspectives deriving from the use of the new vaccines obtained with molecular biology methods. With reference to the learning objective of the pathogenetic mechanisms of microorganisms and parasites responsible for human infections, the student must be able to: - Identify the most essential biological characteristics and the pathogenic action of human pathogenic microorganisms and parasites as a preparatory study for Clinical Microbiology (C.I. of Laboratory Medicine). - Critically analyze and describe, for each "species": the ways of penetration into the organism, the differentiated diffusion in the infected host, the presence of antigens in the various parts of the organism (blood, secretions, excretions) for the purpose of "contagion "And laboratory diagnosis. - Briefly describe the characteristic manifestations of the single disease and the main lesions of organs and systems. With reference to the learning objective regarding the methodological approach in the diagnostic assessment of infection diseases, the student must be able to: - Identify the different laboratory methods that allow the identification of the agent responsible for the infection and those necessary for the deepening of the biological characteristics of human microorganisms and parasites.

Traditional lectures, with the support of slides.

Should teaching be carried out in mixed mode or remotely, it may be necessary to introduce changes with respect to previous statements, in line with the programme planned and outlined in the syllabus.

Learning assessment may also be carried out on line, should the conditions require it.”

Module of Bacteriology (3 credits)

1. Microorganisms and parasites: infection of the host
   1. Microorganism-host relationships.
   2. The microbial population normally resident in the human body.
   3. Essential characteristics and differences of bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa and other parasites known to infect humans.
   4. The pathogenic mechanisms of microorganisms.
   5. The various possibilities of infection and spread of infection.
   6. Infection control: key features of prevention and antimicrobial therapy
2. The prokaryotic cell
   1. Fundamentals of microbial physiology
   2. The organization of the bacterial cell
      1. Structure and function of the cell wall
      2. Cellular components
      3. Accessory components (capsule, flagella, pili)
      4. Biofilms
      5. The spore
3. The bacterial genetics and cell growth
   1. Transfer of genetic information in prokaryotes:
      1. Recombination in bacteria: conjugation, transformation and transduction
      2. Plasmids and transposable elements.
   2. The bacterial cell cycle and division
4. The pathogenesis of bacterial infection
   1. The phases of bacterial infection
   2. Pathogenicity and virulence
   3. Mechanisms of pathogenicity
   4. Bacterial toxins
   5. The host response to bacterial infection
5. Infection control
   1. Sterilization, disinfection and antisepsis
   2. The antimicrobial chemotherapy:
      1. Classification and main characteristic of principal groups of antibiotics
      2. Mechanism of action
      3. The antibiotic resistance
      4. Susceptibility testing
   3. Vaccines
6. The diagnostic principles of bacterial diseases
   1. Microscopic examination
   2. Direct diagnosis
      1. Culture methods
      2. Other methods
   3. Indirect diagnosis
      1. Serological methods
7. Systematic Bacteriology (taxonomy, main characteristics, pathogenicity, infectious diseases, possibility of prevention, diagnosis and antibiotic chemotherapy)

Key Features of: Staphylococci, Streptococci, Enterococci, Neisseria, Branhamella, Mycobacterium, Streptomyces, Nocardia, Actinomyces, Corynebacterium, Lactobacillus, Bartonella, Listeria, Gardnerella, Bacillus, Clostridium, Enterobacteriaceae, Haemophili, Pasteurella, Vibrio, Legionella, Brucella, Bordetella, Acinetobacter, Pseudomonas, Bacteroides, Campylobacter, Helicobacter, Mycoplasma, Ureaplasma, Chlamydiaceae, Rickettsiaceae, Spirochetaceae

Module of Virology (2 Credits)

1. Viruses and sub- viral structures
   1. The organization of the viral particle
   2. Virus replication
   3. Subviral pathogens: prions, viroids, and virusoides
2. The pathogenesis of the viral infection
   1. Mode of transmission
   2. Types of viral infection: acute and persistent infection (latent, slow, chronic, oncogenic)
   3. The host response to viral infection
   4. The interferon
3. The control of viral infections
   1. The antiviral chemotherapy
      1. Classification
      2. Mechanism of action and resistance
      3. Combined therapies
   2. Vaccines
4. The diagnostic principles of viral diseases
   1. Culture method
   2. Culture indipendent and molecular methods
   3. Serological methods
5. Key features of main viruses of medical importance:
   1. Poxviridae, Herpesviridae, Adenoviridae, Human Papillomavirus and Polyomavirus, Parvoviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Picornaviridae, Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, Caliciviridae, Coronaviridae, Filoviridae, Flaviridae, Reoviridae, human retroviruses, Togaviridae and Rubivirus, Human hepatitis viruses (HAV, HBV, HCV, HDV, HEV, HGV)

Module of Mycology and Parasitology (2 Credits)

1. The Fungi
   1. Characteristics of fungi and their metabolism
      1. The fungal cell
2. Host-parasite relationships.
   1. Mechanisms of pathogenicity
      1. Micetism
      2. Mycotoxicosis
      3. Mycosis
   2. Pathogenesis of mycosis
   3. Mode of infection
   4. Origin, classification and description of mycosis
   5. Dimorphism
   6. The host defense to fungal infections
3. The fungi responsible for mycosis
   1. Primary pathogens: Dermatophytes, Dimorphics
   2. Opportunistic mycosis
      1. Yeasts: Candida, Cryptococcus, Malassezia, Trichosporon
      2. Filamentous fungi: Aspergillus, Fusarium, Zygomycetes
   3. Fungi responsible for subcutaneous mycosis
4. The antifungal drugs
   1. Antifungal drugs
      1. Classification
      2. Mechanism of action and resistance
5. The diagnostic principles of fungal diseases
   1. Microscopy and culture isolation
   2. Molecular methods
   3. Serological methods
6. Parasites
   1. Morphological characteristics and pathogenic mechanism of action.
   2. Essential characteristics and differences of human infections caused by protozoa and other human parasites.
   3. The various possibilities of infection and spread of human parasitic infections.
   4. The main parasites of medical importance
      1. Protozoa (Fagellates, Amoebae, Coccidia, Microsporidia)
      2. Metazoans (Platyhelminthes and Nematodes)
7. The antiprotozoal drugs
   1. The main drugs
   2. Vaccines
8. The diagnostic principles for parasitic infections
   1. Blood parasites
   2. Enteric parasites and urinary tract parasites
   3. Tissue parasites

More recent edition:

1: Principi di microbiologia medica - La Placa M. Edises

2: Microbiologia Medica - Murray P. R., Rosenthal K.S., Pfaller M. A. - Casa Editrice Elsevier.

3: Principi di microbiologia medica - Antonelli G., Clementi M., Pozzi G., Rossolini G.M. - Casa Editrice Ambrosiana