Ateneo - UPO

Consistent with the specific educational objectives of the Degree Programme (CdS), as reported in the SUA-CdS, Section A4.a, the course contents are described below:

The bacterial cell: organization and structure. Essential and accessory structures.

Cell division and growth.

Bacterial metabolism.

Resident microbial flora: the human microbiota.

Principles of bacterial virulence: toxins (exotoxins and endotoxins); spores; capsules; pili and flagella; enzymes; siderophores; bacterial biofilms.

Mechanisms of gene transfer: conjugation, transformation, transduction, and transposition.

Basic concepts of the main pathogenic bacteria: genera Staphylococcus, Streptococcus, Enterobacter, Clostridium, Mycobacterium, Neisseria, Pseudomonas, Acinetobacter, Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), Chlamydia, and Helicobacter.

Viruses: organization and structure, cultivation and replication, pathogenicity.

Basic concepts of the main pathogenic viruses: Hepadnaviruses, Herpesviruses, Papillomaviruses, Orthomyxoviruses, Retroviruses, and Coronaviruses.

Basic concepts of subviral agents: prions.

Basic concepts of eukaryotic microorganisms: protists.

Control of microbial growth: disinfection and sterilization; antibiotics; natural antimicrobials; antiviral drugs; superbugs and antibiotic resistance. Vaccines: polio, meningitis, diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis, rubella, HPV, hepatitis, influenza, measles, and varicella vaccines.

The immune response against infections (overview): Innate immunity: inflammation, phagocytes, phagocytosis and microbial killing, complement system. Adaptive immunity: humoral and cell-mediated responses. Microbial evasion of the immune response

To fully understand the course content, enrolled students are expected to possess a basic background in the fundamental principles of cell biology, chemistry, genetics, immunology, and microbiology (minimum prerequisite knowledge). Students are also required to have English language proficiency at a B1 level according to the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR).

To be eligible to take the final examination, students must:

• have completed and passed the mandatory safety training courses;
• have passed the General and Inorganic Chemistry examination;
• have completed the course evaluation questionnaires;
• have attended at least 75% of the scheduled Microbiology laboratory sessions;
• be in good standing with the payment of university tuition and fees.

Contact Information Instructor email: barbara.azzimonti@uniupo.it

Additional resources: Applied Microbiology Lab (CAAD) UPOBook – Barbara Azzimonti

At the end of each lecture, or by prior email arrangement, the instructor is available to discuss any questions regarding the course topics or the examination procedures.

Students may meet with the instructor by appointment at her office located at the CAAD, Department of Health Sciences, Corso Trieste 15a, 28100 Novara, Italy.

At the end of the course, a mock examination will be conducted to familiarize students with the format and requirements of the final assessment.

To be eligible to take the final examination, students must:

• have completed and passed the mandatory safety training courses;
• have passed the General and Inorganic Chemistry examination;
• have completed the course evaluation questionnaires;
• have attended at least 75% of the scheduled hours of the Microbiology Laboratory course;
• be in good standing with the payment of university tuition and fees.

The final assessment consists of a written examination in Italian, held on the scheduled examination dates. The exam comprises 64 multiple-choice questions (with only one correct answer per question), of which 60 cover topics addressed during the Medical Microbiology course and 4 relate to the theoretical and practical laboratory activities carried out during the Microbiology Laboratory course.

A maximum score of 32 points can be achieved by answering all questions correctly (0.5 points per question), corresponding to a final grade of 30/30 cum laude.

Students who wish to improve their grade (provided they have achieved at least 18/30 on the written examination) or obtain cum laude may take a short oral examination in either Italian or English.

The purpose of the examination is to assess the extent to which students have achieved the intended learning outcomes and their ability to critically process and communicate the acquired knowledge in written Italian using appropriate scientific and technical terminology.

The examination also evaluates students’ knowledge acquisition, their ability to organize and present well-structured responses, clarity of expression, synthesis skills, appropriateness of language, and their analytical and critical approach to the concepts learned during the course.

Following the examination, a review session will be held during which students will have the opportunity to discuss their results, identify any mistakes made, and review the correct answers.