Class Medical Bacteriology

This curricular unit introduces key concepts in the Epidemiology of emergent/reemergent diseases and in the field of antibacterial resistance. The students will become aware of this problem as well as of the possible solutions in the prevention, control and treatment of these multidrug-resistant infections. 

1. Manipulation of microorganisms. Biosafety levels. Collection, transport and processing of biological samples.
2. Introduction to Epidemiology. Surveillance programs. Disease: types and factors.
3. Chain of infection: interaction infectious agent/host/environment.
4. Bacterial pathogenesis: acquisition and regulation of virulence determinants.
5. History of infectious diseases. Emergence and reemergence of diseases. Surveillance and fighting strategies.
6. Antibacterial resistance: causes and consequences. Classes of antibiotics and mechanisms of action. Mechanisms of antibiotic resistance.
7. Bacteria with clinical relevance.
8. Prophylaxis of the infectious diseases; use of bacterial strains as probiotics and biological markers; novel therapeutic approaches
9. Basic laboratory procedures in clinical bacteriology; diagnosis of bacterial infection; antibiograms, antibiotic resistance. 

Use of IBL methodology with exploratory and research activities in the theoretical and practical components.

The use of active methodologies, such as exploratory and group work and the IBL methodology will develop research skills, selection and interpretation of information and scientific methodology, as well as interest in the topics covered.

Thus, the assessment will consist of a theoretical component (50% of the final grade) and a practical component (50% of the final grade), each with an average of 9.5 or higher.  Theoretical assessment - test (60%) and presentation and discussion of a research paper (IBL methodology) (40%).

Practical Assessment: Laboratory classes, with 2/3 compulsory attendance. Realization, presentation and discussion in class of reports/records/research activities (equal weighting). The assessment considers the performance during the practical activities. All support material related to the classes will be available through the Moodle platform.

• Barroso, H. et al. (2014). Microbiologia Médica. (vols I e II). Edições Lidel. (I.S.B.N 978-989-752-057-0 e 978-972-757-576-3).
• Lima, N., Canas Ferreira, W., & Sousa, J.C. (2010). Microbiologia. Edições Lidel. (ISBN-9789727566579).
• Madingan, M.T, Bender, K.S., Buckley, D.A., Sattley, & W.M., Stahl, D.A. (2017) Brock Biology of Microorganisms. (15th ed.) Pearson Education. (ISBN-10 0134261925 - ISBN-13 9780134261928).
• Jorgensen, J.H., Pfaller, M.A., Carroll, K.C., Funke, G., Landry, M-L., Richte, S., & Warnock, W. (2011). Manual of Clinical Microbiology. (11^th ed.) ASM Press. (ISBN-9781555817374).