B017134 - GENERAL AND CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY

Italian

Structural and functional characteristics of bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses, and their interaction with the host. Mechanisms of microbial pathogenicity. Laboratory diagnosis of infections, general principles and specific applications. Antimicrobial compounds for bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses. Mechanisms of drugs resistance.

- Principi di Microbiologia Medica - La Placa –Soc. Ed. Esculapio/Edises
- Microbiologia Medica - Murray – Ed. Elsevier
- Microbiologia Medica - Antonelli et al. – Casa Ed. Ambrosiana
- Microbiologia e Microbiologia Clinica per infermieri - De Grazie S – Ed. Pearson Italia
- Brock, Biologia dei Microrganismi - Madigan MT, Martinko JM – Ed. Pearson Italia
- Microbiologia Clinica - Lanciotti E – Casa Ed. Ambrosiana

At the end of this course the students shall acquire knowledge concerning the nature and characteristics of the main infectious agents (bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses). They will know the mode of their transmission. They will acquire knowledge of about the cellular and molecular mechanisms of microbial and viral pathogenicity and the interactionsbetweeninfectious agent and host. They will learn the mechanisms of action of antimicrobial and antiviral agents and the mechanisms of microbial drug resistance. They will know the principles of laboratory diagnosis of infections. The studentsy will acquire athe general vision of the main pathogenic agents of medical interest.

Propaedeutic disciplines as approved by the course framework:
- teaching in Biomolecular Sciences (A2)
- teaching in Morphological and Functional Sciences (A3)

Formal lectures

Written test: multiple choice questions. Possibility of oral examination for students who did not pass the written exam.

Introduction. Characteristics of infectious agents (bacteria, fungi, parasites and viruses). Communalistic, mutualistic and parasitic symbiosis. Microbiota. Endogenous and exogenous infections. Transmission routs of infections. Infection and disease. Principles of laboratory diagnosis of infections. Nosocomial infections.
Bacteriology. General characteristics of bacteria. Structures and functions of bacterial cells: fundamental and accessory structures. Bacterial cell wall structure and functions. Stains in bacteriology: Gram andZiehl-Neelsen stains.Bacterial spore.Principles of bacterial cultivation. Pathogenicity of bacteria: pathogenicity and virulence factors, mechanisms of action of exotoxins and endotoxins. Antibacterial drugs: mechanisms of action and mechanisms of drug resistance. Antibiogram.Main bacteria of clinical interest.
Virology. Characteristics of viruses. Virus-cell interactions and main replication strategies of viruses. Productive, abortive and transforming infection. Virus cultivation.Virus-host interactions: viral pathogenesis. Acute, latent persistent and slow viral infections. Antiviral agents and mechanisms of antiviral resistance. Main virusesof clinical interest.
Mycology. General characteristics of yeasts, molds and dimorphic fungi. Structure and function of the fungal cell. Fungal reproduction. Fungal classification. Mechanisms of fungal pathogenicity. Principles of mycology diagnosis. Antifungal agents: mechanisms of actionand mechanisms of resistance. Most important fungi involved in human diseases.
Parasitology. Classification of the parasites of medical interest. Structural characteristics and life cycles of the most important protozoa of medical interest. Pathogenesis of the main diseases caused by protozoa in humans. Structural characteristics and life cycles of the most important helminths of medical interest. Pathogenesis and features of the most important diseases caused by helminths. Laboratory diagnosis of parasitic diseases. Notes on anti-parasitic drugs.