AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to:

- to make known the structural and functional characteristics of the main microorganisms of clinical interest, with particular attention to the mechanisms of virulence,

- deepen the different relationships between microorganisms and the human host, drug resistance,

- understand the modalities of onset of an endogenous or exogenous infection,

- understand the information provided by drug sensitivity tests carried out in vitro,

At the end of the course the student will be able to:

- know the fundamental structural and biological differences of the main microorganisms of clinical interest

- understand how bacteria and viruses cause infectious diseases;

- understand the modalities of onset of an endogenous or exogenous infection;

- understand the information provided by drug sensitivity tests carried out in vitro;

- know the action mechanism of antibiotic drugs

TEACHING METHODS

The microbiology course is organized in lectures, given by the teacher. The topics are illustrated through Powerpoint presentations (shared directly with the students) and supported by the consultation, always recommended, of an appropriate textbook.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Bacteriology:

- Notes on the main techniques of bacterial staining

- Bacterial cell structure

- Notes on mycobacteria and "atypical" germs

- The spore and notes on clinical spores (C.tetani, C.difficile, C.botulinum, C.perfringens, B.anthracis, B.cereus)

- Conjugation, transformation and transduction

- "Normal" bacterial population and opportunistic germs

-General information on infection diseases (routes of infection, transmission, exogenous/endogenous infection)

- Elements of special microbiology: Staphylococci (S.aureus, S.epidermidis) and Streptococci (S.pyogenes, S.agalactiae, S.pneumoniae); E.coli

-Etiological diagnosis of infectious disease, AST (Antibiogram, MIC, MBC, e-test)

-Main classes of antibacterial drugs: mechanisms of action and bacterial resistance

Virology:

- Viruses: morphology and structure

- Pathogenic action of viruses

- Notes on interferons

- HIV, HPV, Influenza viruses, SARS –CoV-2

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Jawetz – Melnich- Adelberg’s  “Microbiologia Medica”   Piccin
• Antonelli-Clementi“Microbiologia medica”- Ambrosiana
• Murray- Rosenthal- Pfaller “Microbiologia Medica”  EdiSES
• M. La Placa “Microbiologia medica”  Esculapio
• N. Carlone «Microbiologia farmaceutica» Edises II Ed