MedInTO Medicine and Surgery

Microbiology

Microbiology

Academic year 2023/2024

Sommario del corso

• Course objectives
• Results of learning outcomes
• Program
• Course delivery
• Learning assessment methods
• Support activities
• Notes
• Teaching tools
• Course card

Course objectives

This course aims to give students knowledge on principles of Medical Microbiology with emphasis on microorganisms (bacteria, viruses, fungi ands protozoa).  

In detail, the purpose of the course is to make medical students master the microbial structures and virulence factors, the host-microrganism interactions, the pathogenic mechanisms of the most important infectious diseases, the principal concepts regarding sterilization, microbiological diagnosis, antibiotic and antiviral therapy, the conditions promoting the rise up of infections and the prevention options.

This knowledge will provide a solid background for comprehension of the relationship between
microorganisms and host in human infections  as well as studying other related courses (Infectious Diseases and Laboratory Medicine).

Results of learning outcomes

Knowledge and understanding

The students will have to:

• distinguish the main morphological characteristics of bacteria, fungi, viruses and protozoa
• understand the notions of pathogenicity, commensalism, opportunism
• identify the modes of transmission, pathogenicity, symptoms and signs, prophylaxis and therapy of main bacterial, fungal, viral and protozoal infections
• demonstrate knowledge of the mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis

• demonstrate knowledge of the main laboratory techniques for microbiological diagnosis and know the current therapeutic agents and vaccines

• acquire knowledge on methods concerning the physical and chemical microbial control

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding

By the end of this course, the student will have to apply the acquired basic knowledge in order to formulate a hypothesis of microbial or viral infections and to instruct third parties on the prevention to avoid infections transmission.

Autonomy in intellectual production and critical judgment

By the end of this course the student will be able to develop a critical thinking to recognize the main features of pathogens. Furthermore, the student will be able to appropriately consult the sources and databases that report clinical cases of infections.

Communication skills

The student will be proficient in using the specialist vocabulary to critically expose issues relating to microorganisms to specialist and non-specialist interlocutors.

Learning skills

The student will be able to collect, compare and analyse data concerning the Medical Microbiology from the scientific literature.

Program

• Introduction to Medical Microbiology:
  • History of microbiology
  • Koch's postulates
  • Classification of microbes

• General Bacteriology:
  • Structure
  • Endospore
  • Human microbiome and concept of opportunism
  • Virulence factors
  • Microbial growth
  • Laboratory diagnosis of bacterial diseases
  • Methods of Sterilization
  • Antibiotics

• Systematic Bacteriology:
  • Staphylococcus
  • Streptococcus
  • Bacillus
  • Listeria
  • Mycobacterium
  • Neisseria
  • Haemophilus
  • Legionella
  • Enterobacteriaceae
  • Yersinia
  • Vibrio
  • Pseudomonas
  • Campylobacter and Helicobacter
  • Clostridium
  • Spirochetes (Treponema, Borrelia, Leptospira)
  • Brucella
  • Mycoplasma and Ureaplasma
  • Rickettsia, Ehrlichia
  • Clamydia
  • Bordetella

• Mycology:
  • Structure, replication, pathogenesis, laboratory diagnosis of fungal disease and antifungal agents
  • Superficial, cutaneous, subcutaneous and systemic mycoses
  • Opportunistic mycoses (Candida, Criptococcus, Aspergillus and Pneumocystis)

• Parasitology:
  • Parasitic classification, structure, replication, pathogenesis of parasitic diseases, laboratory diagnosis and antiparasitic agents
  • Intestinal protozoa (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, Entamoeba)
  • Urogenital protozoa (Trichomonas)
  • Blood and tissue protozoa (Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Leishmania, Trypanosoma)

• General virology:
  • Structure
  • Classification
  • Replication mechanisms
  • Laboratory diagnosis of viral diseases
  • Antiviral chemotherapy

• Systematic virology:
  • Herpesviruses
  • Papillomaviruses and Polyomaviruses
  • Adenoviruses
  • Poxviruses
  • Parvoviruses
  • Paramyxoviruses
  • Rhabdoviruses
  • Arenaviruses and Bunyaviruses
  • Orthomyxoviruses
  • Retroviruses
  • Reoviruses
  • Caliciviruses
  • Togaviruses
  • Picornaviruses
  • Hepatitis Viruses
  • Flaviviruses
  • Coronaviruses
  • Filoviruses

Course delivery

Classes will be held on campus. For those of you who are exempted from attending in person, pre-recorded lessons will be made available according to the timetable.

The 84 hours of the course will be split in theoretical lectures (56 hours) and practical training (28 hours). Practical training and supplementary materials will be provided online on the Moodle platform.

At the end of some lessons, the understanding skills and self-assessment of student’s preparation will be evaluated by the use of an interactive learning platform.

Attendance will be mandatory. 

Learning assessment methods

Exams will take place as oral examinations face to face. The oral exam consists of 2 open questions aimed at verifying the acquisition of knowledge on the main notions relating to the microorganisms responsible for human infections, the ability to discursively organize the knowledge, the quality of exposition and the competence in the use of specialized vocabulary.

The mark will be expressed in thirtieths. Test time: 30 min/student

Exams could be taken online via Webex in case of serious certified specific situations.

Support activities

The lessons’ slides, supplementary teaching materials and video tutorials for practical training will be provided online on the Moodle platform.

Notes

Please contact us (david.lembo@unito.it; manuela.donalisio@unito.it; andrea.civra@unito.it) if in doubt or in need of further explanation.

Webex meetings may be organized in our virtual rooms (https://unito.webex.com/meet/david.lembo; https://unito.webex.com/meet/manuela.donalisio; https://unito.webex.com/meet/andrea.civra) to answer any doubts and provide the required explanations.

Students with disorders that may affect learning (e.g. colour blind students, visually impaired, hearing impaired, dyslexic or with physical disabilities) are encouraged to contact the lecturers to adapt learning materials, activities and testing methods.

Students with DSA or disabilities are kindly requested to take note of the reception services and support services offered by the University of Turin, and in particular of the procedures required for exam support.

• Teaching material
• Exams and finals
• Class schedule
• Go to Moodle
• Register for the course
• Enrolled students
• Invia email agli studenti registrati
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