MODULE: GENERAL AND CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
Evolution of microorganisms and their classification. The structure and function of the components of the Gram-positive bacteria wall: cytoplasmic membrane, peptidoglycan, theichoic acids, polysaccharides, proteins.
The structure and function of Gram-negative bacteria wall components: cytoplasmic membrane, peptidoglycan, periplasmic space, outer membrane, lipoproteins, lipopolysaccharides (LPS).
Simple and differential stains in bacteriology. The structure and function of the optional components of the bacterial cell: capsule, flagella, fimbriae.
The bacterial spore: structure, sporogenesis, germination, significance.
Metabolism and bacterial nutrition: nutritional principles; trophic types; energy production; bacteria and oxygen; aerobic breathing; anaerobic breathing; fermentation; the microbial habitat; relationship between environmental conditions and bacterial metabolism.
The cultivation of bacteria: the culture media; isolation methods in pure culture; biochemical, serological and typing identifications.
Bacterial growth at cellular and population level (growth curve).
The pathogenic action of bacteria: the mechanisms to overcome non- specific barriers and to circumvent specific defenses.
Bacterial toxins.
Control of microbial growth: mechanism of the antimicrobial action of temperature, radiation, ultrasound (sterilization and tindalization); alcohols, halogens, surfactants, phenols, aldehydes (disinfection).
Bacterial genetics: the plasticity of the bacterial genome (plasmids, insertion sequences, transposons, invertible elements, mutations); the intercellular transfer of genetic material (transformation, transduction, lysogenic conversion, bacterial conjugation).
Mechanisms of action of antibiotics and chemotherapeutics.
Mechanisms of antibiotic-resistance carried out by bacteria.
Methods of assessment of the sensitivity of bacteria to chemo- antibiotics (antibiotic susceptibility assays, MIC and MBC). Prevention of infectious diseases: vaccines.
General features of fungi. Control of fungal infection: antifungal drugs.
MODULE: SPECIAL MICROBIOLOGY AND RELATED TECHNIQUES
Classification of microorganisms.
Pathogenesis, Lab diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention and Control of the bacterial human pathogens.
Gram-positive cocci: Staphylococci, Streptococci. Gram-negative cocci: Neisseria. Gram-positive rods: Mycobacterium, Corynebacterium, Listeria monocytogenes. Gram-negative rods: Enterobacteriaceae, Vibrionaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Campylobacter, Helicobacter, Bordetella, Brucella. Spore-forming Gram-positive bacilli: Clostridium and Bacillus. Spirochaetes, Mycoplasma, Legionella pneumoniae, Rickettsie, Chlamydiae.
Pathogenesis, Lab diagnosis, Treatment, Prevention and Control of the viral human pathogens.
Characteristics and classification of viruses. Virus structure: non- enveloped and enveloped viruses. Viral replication: life cycle of viruses with animal and prokaryote hosts. Mechanisms of viral pathogenesis. Antiviral drugs.
RNA viruses: Orthomyxovirus, Rotavirus, Filovirus, Retrovirus, Togaviridae, Paramyxoviridae, Flaviviridae, Picornavirus, Delta virus. DNA viruses: Poxvirus, Herpesvirus, Hepadnavirus, Papillomavirus.
Prions. Hospital-acquired infections.
MODULE: PARASITOLOGY
- Introduction to parasitology: main classes of parasitics.
- Protozoans: blood parasites; intestinal parasites; Laboratory diagnosis.
- Metazoans: Platyhelminthes; emerging parasitic diseases; Laboratory diagnosis.
- Exercises and microscopy.
MODULE: MOLECULAR DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES IN MICROBIOLOGY
Slection, collection procedure, storage, transport and processing of clinical specimens.
Bacterial identification: conventional and molecular methods.
Direct examination and techniques: microscopy, stains and type of culture media.
Identification: manual and automated techniques for identification, antigen detection assays, molecular techniques.
Indirect serodiagnosis assay.
Antimicrobial Susceptibility: to determine susceptibility or resistance to antimicrobial agents.
Identification of viruses.
Electron microscope
Isolation and culture of viruses. molecular techniques.
Serodiagnosis: direct and indirect assays.
Biosafety in Clinical Microbiological Laboratory.
