SCIENZE MEDICHE E MICROBIOLOGICHE

Module MICROBIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY

1. Knowledge and understanding

At the end of the course, students should know and understand the fundamental principles of general and clinical microbiology, with particular reference to the structure, physiology, growth, replication and variability of the main microorganisms of medical and public health relevance. Students should understand the fundamental principles of bacteriology, virology, mycology and parasitology, the main mechanisms of microbial pathogenicity and virulence, the routes of transmission of infectious agents, and the interactions between microorganisms, the host and the environment.

Students should also understand the principles of antimicrobial action and antimicrobial resistance, the main methods used to control microbial contamination, and the fundamentals of microbiological diagnosis.

2. Applying knowledge and understanding

Students should be able to apply acquired knowledge to distinguish between contamination, colonization, infection and disease; recognize the main routes of transmission of infectious agents; identify the major microbiological factors involved in biological risk; and understand strategies aimed at interrupting the chain of transmission.

Students should also be able to understand the microbiological diagnostic pathway, from appropriate collection and management of biological specimens to the main methods used for microbial identification and antimicrobial susceptibility testing, applying this knowledge to simple situations of professional relevance.

3. Making judgements

Students should develop the ability to critically interpret simple microbiological problems, assessing the possible significance of the presence of a microorganism in relation to the specimen, the host and the epidemiological context.

Students should be able to recognize potential microbiological risk conditions and identify appropriate prevention and control measures within the scope of their professional responsibilities.

4. Communication skills

Students should be able to use microbiological terminology correctly and describe, in a clear and scientifically appropriate manner, the characteristics of microorganisms, mechanisms of transmission and pathogenicity, principles of microbiological diagnosis, and the main strategies for infection prevention and control.

5. Learning skills

Students should acquire the conceptual and methodological tools required to independently expand their microbiological knowledge, consult scientific sources and technical documents, and continuously update their knowledge in relation to emerging pathogens, antimicrobial resistance, and developments in diagnostic methods and prevention strategies.

The course is delivered through lectures supported by multimedia presentations, diagrams, images and applied examples related to general and clinical microbiology.

During the lessons, examples and simple microbiological case studies will be presented to promote understanding of the relationships between microbial characteristics, pathogenicity, routes of transmission, microbiological diagnosis, and prevention and control strategies.

Particular attention will be devoted to connecting the principles of microbiology with health-related and professional issues relevant to the Prevention Technician, progressively developing the student's ability to apply acquired knowledge and interpret simple situations involving microbiological risk.

At the end of each lesson, a short learning assessment test will be administered, primarily for formative purposes, to assess understanding of the topics covered and promote the progressive consolidation of knowledge.

Should the course be delivered through blended or distance learning, the necessary changes may be introduced to ensure achievement of the expected learning outcomes and completion of the programme.

Basic knowledge of general biology, with particular reference to cell structure and organization, the main cellular processes and the fundamentals of genetics.

No specific previous knowledge of microbiology or clinical microbiology is required.

Attendance at teaching activities is mandatory in accordance with the regulations of the Degree Programme.

Regular participation in lectures is strongly recommended due to the progressive and integrated nature of the topics covered and the inclusion of applied activities and formative assessments at the end of the lessons.

Fundamentals of microbiology
Introduction to the microbial world and the role of microorganisms in health, disease and the environment. Fundamental differences between prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells. Main characteristics of bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites. Concepts of microbiota, contamination, colonization, infection and disease.

General bacteriology
Structure and organization of the bacterial cell. Cell wall and Gram staining. Cytoplasmic membrane, capsule, flagella, pili, endospores and other bacterial structures. Bacterial growth and multiplication. Metabolism and adaptation to environmental conditions. Principles of bacterial genetics, mutations and horizontal gene transfer.

Microbial pathogenicity and microorganism-host interactions
Main stages of the infectious process: exposure, adhesion, colonization, invasion and damage. Virulence factors, adhesins, capsules, enzymes and toxins. Biofilms. Fundamental principles of the host response to infection. Chain of infection and main routes of transmission of infectious agents.

Control of microorganisms and antimicrobial agents
Principles of sterilization, disinfection, antisepsis and decontamination. Main physical and chemical methods of microbial control. Main classes of antibacterial drugs and their cellular targets. Fundamental principles and mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance. Spread of antimicrobial resistance and the One Health approach.

General virology
Structure and classification of viruses. Viral genome, capsid and envelope. Main stages of viral replication. Virus-host cell interactions, persistence and latency. Main routes of transmission and general principles of prevention of viral infections.

General mycology and parasitology
Main biological and structural characteristics of medically relevant fungi. Yeasts and filamentous fungi. General principles of fungal infections. Fundamental concepts of medical parasitology and main characteristics of protozoa and helminths of public health relevance.

Main microorganisms of medical and public health relevance
Overview of the main bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites relevant to human health, with particular reference to their microbiological characteristics, reservoirs, routes of transmission, major associated infections, and prevention and control strategies.

Principles of clinical microbiology and microbiological diagnosis
Microbiological diagnostic pathway: pre-analytical, analytical and post-analytical phases. Selection, collection, transport and storage of biological specimens. Microscopy, culture and microbial identification. Principles of immunological and molecular methods and rapid diagnostic techniques. Principles of antimicrobial susceptibility testing. Interpretation of microbiological results in the context of contamination, colonization and infection.

Microbiology applied to biological risk prevention
Sources, reservoirs and routes of transmission of infectious agents. Biological risk in living and working environments. Principles of prevention and interruption of the chain of transmission. Application of microbiological knowledge to the professional activities of the Prevention Technician.

Recommended textbooks

• G. Antonelli et al., Principi di Microbiologia Medica, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana.

• E. Lanciotti, Microbiologia clinica, Casa Editrice Ambrosiana.

• P.R. Murray, K.S. Rosenthal, M.A. Pfaller, Medical Microbiology, Elsevier.

Teaching materials used during the course (presentations, diagrams, images, case studies and supplementary materials) will be made available to students through the institutional channels.

For specific topics, scientific articles, technical documents, guidelines and updated references from national and international organizations may be recommended during the course.

The recommended textbooks are intended as resources for study and further learning and do not replace the contents and teaching materials presented during the lectures.

Assessment of learning outcomes for the Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology module is carried out through an oral examination.

At the end of each lesson, students will be given a learning assessment test aimed at monitoring their understanding of the main topics covered and progressively consolidating the knowledge acquired. These tests are primarily formative and allow students to assess their level of preparation throughout the course.

The final oral examination is designed to assess the achievement of the expected learning outcomes and, in particular, the student's knowledge and understanding of the fundamental principles of general and clinical microbiology, as well as the ability to apply this knowledge to simple problems of medical and professional relevance.

The assessment will consider the student's ability to:

• correctly describe the structure, biological characteristics and main mechanisms of growth and replication of microorganisms;

• understand mechanisms of pathogenicity, microorganism-host interactions and the main routes of transmission of infectious agents;

• distinguish between contamination, colonization, infection and disease;

• understand the principles of microbial control, antimicrobial action and antimicrobial resistance;

• describe the essential characteristics of the main microorganisms of medical and public health relevance;

• understand the main phases and methods of microbiological diagnosis;

• interpret simple microbiological results in relation to the specimen and context;

• apply microbiological knowledge to the prevention and control of biological risks.

The final assessment will also take into account the accuracy and completeness of knowledge, the ability to reason and establish connections between topics, independent judgement, and the appropriate use of scientific terminology.

The final grade for the integrated course is expressed on a thirty-point scale, according to the assessment procedures established for the integrated course.

• Describe the structure of the bacterial cell and the main differences between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria.

• What are the main phases of bacterial growth and which factors can affect microbial growth?

• What are the main mechanisms of horizontal gene transfer in bacteria?

• What is the difference between contamination, colonization, infection and disease?

• What are the main stages of the infectious process and the major microbial virulence factors?

• What are biofilms and what role do they play in microbial persistence and spread?

• What are the main routes of transmission of infectious agents and how can the chain of infection be interrupted?

• What is the difference between sterilization, disinfection, antisepsis and decontamination?

• What are the main mechanisms of antimicrobial action and the major mechanisms of antimicrobial resistance?

• Describe the general structure of a virus and the main stages of the viral replication cycle.

• What are the main characteristics of fungi of medical relevance?

• Describe the microbiological characteristics, routes of transmission and main prevention strategies of one of the medically relevant microorganisms covered during the course.

• What are the main stages of the microbiological diagnostic pathway, from specimen collection to reporting?

• What are the principles of antimicrobial susceptibility testing and what information does it provide?

• Given a simple microbiological case, assess whether the detected microorganism may represent contamination, colonization or infection and identify the main measures useful for preventing its transmission.