Learning objectives
At the end of the course the student should have acquired knowledge regarding general and special toxicology. In detail, the student should be able to:
1. know the mechanisms of action of toxic substances and their interaction with molecular targets in the body. Know the most important classes of poisons. Be able to employ the appropriate scientific language and terminology. (knowledge and understanding)
2. understand the properties of the different toxic substances. (applying knowledge and understanding)
3. explain the results of the studies and toxic or antidote properties also to an audience of non-experts. (communication skills)
4. choose the right antidote on the basis of the acquired knowledge and clinical needs. (making judgements)
5. link the different topics treated in the course among themselves and to other disciplines of the academic degree course. (learning skills)
Course unit content
The course will provide students with the essential notions of general toxicology, toxicodynamics and toxicokinetics with special attention to the mechanism of action of poisonous substances, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion, biotransformation of toxic compounds (phase I and II reactions), the concepts of bio-activation and bio-accumulation. At the conclusion of the course, the students will have to possess the knowledge of the following toxic compounds with regard, in particular, to the effects on animals and to the antidotic treatment: pesticides, insecticides, fungicides, herbicides, rodenticides, molluscicides, POPs, polychlorobiphenyls, and dioxins, urea, nitrosamines, nitrites and nitrates, chlorine, fluorine, arsenic, mercurium, cadmium, copper, cyanhydric acid and cyanides, ethylene glycol, strong acids and bases, toxic gases, mycotoxins, animal and plant toxins. The students should also know the procedures of the Antipoison Veterinary Center and possess knowledge of laboratory techniques for the detection of most important poisonings of domestic animals.
Bibliography
Mengozzi - Soldani "Tossicologia veterinaria" Idelson-Gnocchi Eds., 2010.
The students are, however, reminded that the textbook must be integrated with classroom lectures.
Students can download pdf files of the lessons from Elly Platform (http://elly.veterinaria.unipr.it/2017/)
Teaching methods
Frontal lessons by using slides and practical lessons in laboratory and classroom
Assessment methods and criteria
The evaluation of the knowledge acquired by the student in the course of Toxicology is made by means of an oral exam. The student, therefore, after online registration to the official exam calendar published on the Department of Veterinary Science website, will have to perform an oral exam consisting of answering to two questions regarding topics of the course of general and special toxicology.
The student will have to show to have understood the core concepts of the treated topics of the course.
To the students with diagnosis of specific learning disability (DSA) certified under law n. 170/2010, proper specific support will be provided.
Other information
9 examination sessions are scheduled throughout the academic year, as reported on ESSE3 platform website. 5 more sessions are scheduled for so called "fuori corso e ripetenti" students. A minimun of 14 days is required between two subsequent examination sessions. The examining board consists of at least two teachers.
