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.
