MICROBIOLOGY - channel 1

The aim of the course is to provide students with the main knowledge on:

 

1. Microorganisms and parasites: infection of the host

2. Biological essential features of microorganisms and parasites responsible for human infections

3. Mechanisms of etio-pathogenesis

5. Microorganisms and parasites responsible for human infections

6. The diagnostic principles for bacterial, viral, fungal and parasitic infections and antimicrobial susceptibility testing

7) chemotherapeutics and vaccines

Traditional lectures, with the support of slides and educational videos of some theoretical-practical

teaching topics.

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.

• Module of Bacteriology (3 credits)

 

1. Bacterial of medical interest: morphological, biochemical, physiological, genetical characteristics

 

2. The pathogenic mechanisms of bacteria

 

3. Microorganism-host relationships.

 

4. Infection control

a. Sterilization, disinfection and antisepsis

b. The antimicrobial chemotherapy.

 

5. immune prophylaxis: immune sera and vaccines

 

6. Systematic Bacteriology: taxonomy, main characteristics, pathogenicity, infectious

diseases, possibility of prevention, diagnosis and antibiotic chemotherapy of: Gram positive cocci, Gram negative cocci, Enterobacterales, Gram negative non- Enterobacteriaceae, Gram positive bacilli, Mycobacterium, Vibrio, Helicobacter,spore-forming anaerobic microorganisms, spore-forming aerobic microorganisms,Spirochetes, Chlamydia.

 

 

• Module of Virology (2 Credits)

1. Viruses and sub- viral structures

a. The organization of the viral particle

b. Virus replication

c. Subviral pathogens: prions, viroids, and virusoides

2. The pathogenesis of the viral infection

a. Mode of transmission

b. Types of viral infection: acute and persistent infection (latent, slow, chronic, oncogenic)

c. The host response to viral infection

d. The interferon

3. The control of viral infections

a. The antiviral chemotherapy

i. Classification

ii. Mechanism of action and resistance

iii. Combined therapies

1. Vaccines

4. The diagnostic principles of viral diseases

a. Culture method

b. Culture indipendent and molecular methods

c. Serological methods

5. Key features of main viruses of medical importance:

a. 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

a. Characteristics of fungi and their metabolism

i. The fungal cell

2. Host-parasite relationships.

a. Mechanisms of pathogenicity

i. Micetism

ii. Mycotoxicosis

iii. Mycosis

b. Pathogenesis of mycosis

c. Mode of infection

d. Origin, classification and description of mycosis

e. Dimorphism

f. The host defense to fungal infections

3. The fungi responsible for mycosis

a. Primary pathogens: Dermatophytes, Dimorphics

b. Opportunistic mycosis

i. Yeasts: Candida, Cryptococcus, Malassezia, Trichosporon

ii. Filamentous fungi: Aspergillus, Fusarium, Zygomycetes

1. Fungi responsible for subcutaneous mycosis

4. The antifungal drugs

a. Antifungal drugs

i. Classification

ii. Mechanism of action and resistance

5. The diagnostic principles of fungal diseases

a. Microscopy and culture isolation

b. Molecular methods

c. Serological methods

6. Parasites

a. Morphological characteristics and pathogenic mechanism of action.

b. Essential characteristics and differences of human infections caused by protozoa and other

human parasites.

c. The various possibilities of infection and spread of human parasitic infections.

d. The main parasites of medical importance

i. Protozoa (Fagellates, Amoebae, Coccidia, Microsporidia)

ii. Metazoans (Platyhelminthes and Nematodes)

7. The antiprotozoal drugs

a. The main drugs

b. Vaccines

8. The diagnostic principles for parasitic infections

a. Blood parasites

b. Enteric parasites and urinary tract parasites

c. Tissue parasites

More recent edition of:

TEXTBOOK 1: Microbiologia Medica – Murray – Editor EDRA

TEXTBOOK 2: Microbiologia Medica – Sherris - Editor EMSI

TEXTBOOK 2: Principi di microbiologia medica - Antonelli G., Clementi M., Pozzi G., Rossolini G.M. – Casa Editrice Ambrosiana

 

All students can use didactic material downloadable from the Studium page at the following link:

http://studium.unict.it