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.
