MICROBIOLOGY
cod. 06031

Academic year 2018/19
3° year of course - First semester
Professor
- Tecla CIOCIOLA
Academic discipline
Microbiologia e microbiologia clinica (MED/07)
Field
Discipline mediche
Type of training activity
Basic
40 hours
of face-to-face activities
5 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in ITALIAN

Integrated course unit module: MICROBIOLOGY - GENERAL PATHOLOGY

Learning objectives

The course of Microbiology aims to allow the student to know and understand the basics and updated scientific knowledge regarding morphology, structural organization, genetics and classification of bacteria, fungi, protozoa and viruses; host-parasite interactions and pathogenesis of infectious diseases; mode of action and use of the main antimicrobial and antiviral drugs and related resistance mechanisms; host response to infections and ways to prevent infectious diseases; recombinant DNA and pharmaceutical products. It also aims to provide the ability to apply in occupational contexts the knowledge and understanding acquired in the field of Microbiology and to communicate even with an untrained audience, linking the different topics treated between them and with the basic and similar disciplines and using an appropriate technical language.

Prerequisites

Getting through General Physiology and Biochemistry/Applied Biochemistry.

Course unit content

The course includes, after the presentation and a brief introduction to Microbiology, the treatment of aspects related to: general characteristics of microorganisms and viruses, genetics of microorganisms and viruses, microbial metabolism and cultivation of microorganisms and viruses, host-parasite relationships in infection and infectious disease (pathogenicity and virulence), infection and immunity, prevention of infectious diseases. The topics related to antimicrobial and antiviral drugs and related resistance mechanisms, as well as Pharmaceutical Microbiology and the use of microorganisms in the field of Biotechnologies, will be particularly detailed.

Full programme

Presentation of the course and brief introduction to Microbiology.
The different areas of Microbiology.
Origin and evolution of microorganisms and Microbiology.
Observation of microorganisms and viruses.
Structural and functional characteristics of the prokaryotic cell.
Structural and functional characteristics of: Fungi, Protozoa, Viruses, Viroids and prions.
Growth and metabolism of microorganisms.
Cultivation, titration and classification of microorganisms and viruses.
Genetics of microorganisms and viruses: genetic recombination.
Host-parasite relationships in infection and infectious disease.
Microbial population of the human body.
Pathogenic microorganisms and viruses and their mechanisms of pathogenicity and virulence.
Main infectious diseases.
Infection and immunity: aspecific and specific defenses.
Strategies of microorganisms and viruses to counteract or escape the immune system.
Laboratory diagnosis of infectious diseases.
Chemical and physical antimicrobial and antiviral agents.
Antimicrobial and antiviral antibiotics and chemotherapeutics: mechanism of action, resistance and sensitivity tests.
Immunoprophylaxis of infectious diseases.
Pharmaceutical Microbiology: microorganisms in chemical and pharmaceutical industry; genotoxicity assessment: Ames test; probiotics and prebiotics.
Microorganisms in the field of Biotechnology: recombinant DNA and pharmaceutical products.

Bibliography

Carlone et al. - Microbiologia Farmaceutica – II ed. - 2013 - Editrice EdiSES, Napoli
Iconographic material used in class, made available to the students on the Elly portal (http://elly.farmacia.unipr.it/)
Hugo-Russell – Microbiologia Farmaceutica - Editrice EMSI, Roma
La Placa - Principi di Microbiologia Medica - XIV ed. - 2014 - Editrice EdiSES, Napoli
The books to be consulted are present in the Library of the Department of Food and Drug.

Teaching methods

The topics concerning the course contents will be presented and discussed through lectures with the help of iconographic material collected in PowerPoint files which, at the end of the course, will be made available to the students on the Elly portal (http://elly.farmacia.unipr.it/). Lectures will present the main conceptual frame of each topic, emphasizing the links between the various parts of the course and encouraging the active participation of the students.

Assessment methods and criteria

Learning outcomes will be verified through an oral examination. The examination can be addressed, upon registration online, based on the official exams calendar of the Department of Food and Drug. By at least two questions regarding the course content will be ascertained whether the student has achieved the objective of knowledge and understanding of the scientific discipline and is able to properly use the technical-scientific language and apply the knowledge acquired in occupational contexts. The ascertained inability to answer a question or to prove at least a basic knowledge of the subject will prevent the successful completion of the exam. In case of passing the exam, the attribution of the vote, expressed in thirtieths, will be carried out according to the degree of achievement of the objectives (excellent, good, fair, fully sufficient, barely sufficient). Full marks with laude will be reserved to students who have demonstrated particular communication and autonomous learning skills. The exam score will contribute to the final vote of the integrated course of Microbiology and General Pathology, obtained on the basis of the average of the notes obtained in the two modules. The result of the examination is communicated immediately to the student, and, after its immediate acceptance, is then published on the ESSE3 portal (https://unipr.esse3.cineca.it/Home.do).

Other information

- - -