Learning objectives
The student is expected to acquire basic knowledge of bacterial cells, viruses and immune phenomena. Acquire manual skills and methods in the clinical bacteriological sector <br />
Course unit content
BACTERIOLOGY <br />
Shape, size, spatial arrangement. <br />
Structure of the prokaryotic cell: nucleus, cytoplasm, cytoplasmatic inclusions, ribosomes, plasmids, cytoplasmatic membrane, <br />
mesosomes, gram-positive and gram-negative walls, flagellum, adhesion organs, capsules, antigens. <br />
Wall-defective bacteria: protoplasts, spheroplasts, L-forms. <br />
Nutrition and metabolism: energy production, aerobiosis and anaerobiosis, respiration and fermentation, biosynthesis of the main <br />
cell elements. <br />
Culture: chemical-physical factors affecting bacterial replication, simple and complex, liquid and solid, <br />
enriching and selective isolating culture media. <br />
Reproduction: splitting, growth curve and chemical-physical factors affecting it. <br />
Bacterial identification. <br />
General taxonomic characteristics: staphylococci, streptococci, corynebacteria, bacilli, clostridia, listeriae, <br />
actinomycetes, campylobacters, enterobacteria, moraxellae, bordetellae, neisseriae, pseudomonas, alcaligenes, aeromonas, vibrios, <br />
yersiniae, pasteurellae, brucellae, hemophyli, spirochete, mycobacteria, rickettsias, chlamydias, mycoplasmas. <br />
Genetics: mutations, recombinations, (transformation, conjugation, transduction), phagic conversion, R plasmids and <br />
pathogenicity plasmids (pilus-like structures, Col, Ent, Hly). <br />
Pathogenic action: pathogenicity, virulence, infectivity, receptivity, infection, disease, healthy carrier; pathogenicity factors <br />
(adhesion structures, invasive factors, anti-phagocytic defence, endo- and exotoxin elaboration). <br />
Genesis and evolution of an infectious disease: primary lesion, dissemination, tropisms. <br />
Basic knowledge of disinfection: aims, limits, main classes of disinfectants. <br />
Antibiotics: classes and mechanisms of action. <br />
VIROLOGY <br />
Chemical composition, size and structure of complex, cubic-helical symmetry viruses, capsid, capsomers, peplos, <br />
peplomers <br />
Bacteriophages: morphology and structure, lytic cycle and lysogenic cycle. <br />
Interaction between viruses and eukaryotic cells attachment, penetration, replication, maturation, release <br />
Culture: tissue cultures, cell cultures, animals, embryonated eggs. Viral replication culture and detection methods. <br />
Virus titration: physical, biological, hemagglutination methods. <br />
General taxonomic characteristics of DNA and RNA viruses . <br />
Non-conventional infectious diseases <br />
IMMUNOLOGY <br />
Non-specific protection mechanisms of the skin and mucosa: structure, integrity, dynamic phenomena, normal bacterial flora. <br />
Phagocytosis: professional and occasional phagocytes, opsonins, phagocytosis mechanisms, fate of phagocyted microorganisms, <br />
survival consequences. <br />
Antigens: chemical-physical characters, determinants or epitopes, haptenes and carriers, immunogenicity, thymus-dependent and thymus-independent antigens. <br />
Humoral immunity: primary and secondary lymphoid organs, lymphocyte classes, antibody production, structure and classes of <br />
immunoglobulins, distribution. <br />
Local and cell-mediated immunity. <br />
Primary and secondary response, memory, lymphocyte recirculation. <br />
Active immunity: infection, vaccination, types of vaccine, methods of administration. <br />
Passive immunity: transplacental, colostral, by immune sera. <br />
Complement: components, classical and alternative activation route, functions. <br />
Interferons: classes, production, biological meaning in antiviral defence and in the immune and delayed responses. <br />
Immediate and delayed immune hypersensitivity. <br />
Serological reactions: precipitation, agglutination, hemagglutination and its inhibition, neutralization, complement fixation <br />
immunofluorescence, radioimmune and immunenzymatic technique <br />
<br />
Practical activity <br />
Bacterial cell wall and Christian Gram’s staining; sporal general characteristics and Shaffer and Fulton staining; capsule forming bacteria and their Indian ink staining; several bio-chemical and enzymatic tests (oxidase, catalase, mobility, urease, TSI, lysine and ornithine decarboxylase, esculinase, etc.); rapid slide agglutination; API identification standardized system; various culture techniques (on agar plate and broth medium); antibiogram and MIC; structure and staining of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. <br />
<br />
Bibliography
Manual of clinical microb iology Lennet et al., American Society for Microbiology <br />
<br />
Clinical Veterinary Microbiology Quin et at., Wolfe <br />
<br />
Bacteriological analytical manual (FDA) AOAC International <br />
Biologia dei microrgasnismi Madigan et al., Casa Editrice Ambrosiana <br />
Microbiologia ed immunologia veterinaria Poli et al., UTET <br />
<br />
Batteriologia-Microbiologia Medica Bendinelli et. alt., Monduzzo Editore <br />
<br />
MIcrobiologia Presott et alt., McGraw-Hill Vi edizione <br />
<br />
Abbas A.K., Lichtman A.H. (2007). Fondamenti di immunologia. Funzioni ed alterazioni del sistema immunitario. Piccin <br />
Teaching methods
<p>Lessons will be done in lecture-hall and will consist of 36 hours.</p>
<p>Practical lesson or laboratoty activity will be done in 5 hall for 11 hours.</p>
