BIOL 2730 - Pathogenic Microbiology

Credit Hours: 4.00

Objectives: The student will describe:

1. The science of microbiology and the origin of microorganism related to health and disease in humans.
2. The molecules associated with the life of microorganisms.
3. And show laboratory proficiency in the use of microbiological laboratory methods, especially aseptic technique, cloning and identification of bacteria.
4. The cell structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic microorganisms.
5. The dynamics of metabolism, growth, and cell reproduction.
6. And show laboratory control of microbial growth.
7. The central dogma of biology and its application to the genetics of microorganisms, viruses, and self-replicating molecules like prions that are involved in human health and disease
8. An understanding of microbial genomics, recombinant DNA technology, and biotechnology.

Outcome 2: Upon completion of this course, the student will understand the types and uses of microorganisms as they relate to pathogenic microbiology.

Objectives: The student will describe:

1. And demonstrate the method used to isolate, subculture, identify and classify prokaryotic cells related to health and disease of humans.
2. The diversity of prokaryotic microorganisms related to the health and disease of humans.
3. The diversity of eukaryotic microorganisms related to the health and disease of humans.
4. The diversity among viruses, prions, and viroids related to health and disease of humans. 5. The viruses that infect bacteria.

Outcome 3: Upon completion of this course, the student will understand the principles of the human-microbe interaction.

Objectives: The student will demonstrate a working knowledge of:

1. Microorganisms related to healthy humans.
2. Microorganisms related to diseased humans.
3. Human’s innate immune response.
4. Human’s innate adaptive immune response.
5. The application of the immune response in diagnostic immunology.
6. The four major immunological disorders.
7. Epidemiology, public health, and common nosocomial infections.
8. How to prevent disease produced by pathogenic microorganism using chemotherapy, immunization and hygiene.

Outcome 4: Upon completion of this course, the student will understand the human diseases caused by microorganisms and their portals of entry into the humans body.

Objectives: The student will demonstrate a working knowledge of infections of:

1. Various human body surfaces like the skin.
2. The human’s respiratory tract.
3. The human’s gastrointestinal tract.
4. The human’s urogenital tract.

• Communication: The graduate can communicate effectively for the intended purpose and audience.
• Critical Thinking: The graduate can make informed decisions after analyzing information or evidence related to the issue.
• Global Literacy: The graduate can analyze human behavior or experiences through cultural, social, political, or economic perspectives.
• Information Literacy: The graduate can responsibly use information gathered from a variety of formats in order to complete a task.
• Quantitative Reasoning: The graduate can apply quantitative methods or evidence to solve problems or make judgments.
• Scientific Literacy: The graduate can produce or interpret scientific information presented in a variety of formats.

1. Principles of Microbiology: Life and Death of Microorganisms
   1. Humans and the Microbial World
      1. Definition of microbiology
      2. Branches of Microbiology
      3. Characteristics of medical or pathogenic microbiology
      4. Discovery of the microbial world
      5. Controversy of spontaneous generation
      6. Concept of sterilization
      7. Role of microorganisms in the transformation of organic matter
      8. Role of microorganisms in the causation of disease
      9. Role of microorganisms in the investigation of basic biological phenomena
      10. Measurements in microbiology
      11. Sizes of organisms
   2. The Molecules of Life
      1. The chemical composition of the universe compared to microorganisms
      2. Atoms and elements
      3. Chemical bonds and the formation of molecules
      4. Covalent bonds
      5. Nonpolar and polar bonds
      6. Ionic bonds
      7. Hydrogen bonds
      8. The chemical components of microbial cells
      9. Proteins
      10. Carbohydrates
      11. Lipids
      12. Nucleic acids
   3. Microscopy and Cell Structure
      1. Cell structure
      2. Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cell structure
      3. The three domains of cell classification
      4. Bacterial morphology & staining
      5. Spore cycle
   4. Dynamics of Prokaryotic Growth
      1. Nutrition, metabolism, & growth
      2. Macro & micro nutrients
      3. Growth factors
      4. Culture media
      5. Cell & population growth
      6. Measurement of growth
      7. Growth curve for bacterial reproduction by binary fission
      8. Physical & chemical factors that effect growth
      9. Osmosis
      10. Effect of oxygen
   5. Control of Microbial Growth
      1. Strategies for control - Chemotherapy, Vaccination, Epidemiology
      2. Disinfection, Antiseptics, Sanitation, & Sterilization
      3. Physical & chemical methods for control
      4. Microbial Killing Curves
      5. Lethal effects of temperature & Radiation
      6. Filtration methods for control
      7. Chemical agents
   6. Metabolism: Fueling Microbial Growth
      1. Metabolism, control of metabolism, and metabolic pathways
      2. Energy and respiration in cells
      3. Biological oxidations
      4. Manipulation of energy by a cell
      5. Trapping of energy and Adenosine Triphosphate
      6. Types of cells based on metabolism
      7. Energy classes of microorganisms
      8. Oxidation-reduction reaction
      9. Electron carriers and coenzymes
      10. Glycolysis, Krebs cycle, & Electron transport
      11. Fermentation
   7. The Blueprint of Life, from DNA to Protein
      1. Characteristics of DNA and RNA
      2. Central dogma of biology
      3. Chromosome and plasmid replication
      4. Genes, gene expression - transcription & translation
      5. Genomics, bioinformatics, and gene maps
2. Molecular Biology of the Prokaryotic Cell and The Diversity of the Microbial World
   1. Bacterial Genetics
      1. Gene function
      2. Arrangement of genes on the chromosome
      3. Linkage maps
      4. Gene mutations and mutagens
      5. Consequence of mutations
      6. Point and frameshift mutations
      7. Mutagens and repair of mutations
      8. Phenotypes of bacterial mutations
      9. Population dynamics
      10. Mechanisms of gene transfer - Transformation, Transduction, and conjugation
   2. Molecular biology: Recombinant DNA and Biotechnology
      1. Genetic engineering
      2. Products of genetic engineering
      3. Amplification of DNA
      4. DNA Fingerprinting
   3. Classification and Identification of Prokaryotes
      1. Microbial evolution
      2. Systematics
      3. Taxonomy
      4. Three Domains
      5. Characteristics of the primary Domain
      6. Nomenclature and Bergey’s Manual
      7. Various taxonomical methods used in classification
   4. The Diversity of Prokaryotic Organisms
      1. Anaerobic chemotrophs
      2. Anoxygenic phototrophs
      3. Oxygenic phototrophs
      4. Aerobic chemoorganotrophs
      5. Animals as habitats
   5. The Eukaryotic Members of the Microbial World
      1. The Eukarya
      2. Phototrophic algae
      3. Fungi - molds and yeast
      4. Slime molds
      5. Protozoa
   6. Viruses of Bacteria
      1. Physical and chemical properties
      2. Discovery
      3. Properties
      4. Structure
      5. Enzymes
      6. Classification
      7. Cultivation
      8. Replication and one-step growth curve
      9. Detection
      10. Lytic and lysogenic cycles
   7. Viruses of Animals
      1. DNA viruses
      2. RNA viruses
      3. Oncogenic viruses
      4. Viroids
      5. Prions
      6. Retroviruses
3. Microoorganisms and Humans
   1. Nonspecific Immunity
      1. Natural resistance
      2. Cellular and humoral
      3. Interferon
      4. Phagocytosis
      5. Complement and complement fixation
      6. Natural killer cells
   2. Specific acquired Immunity
      1. Antigens - structure and function
      2. Antibodies - structure and function
      3. Humoral and cell-mediated immunity
      4. T-Cells
      5. B-Cells
      6. Phagocytic Cells
      7. Maturation of lymphocyte stem cells
      8. Primary and secondary antibody response to antigens
      9. Types of acquired specific immunity - active, passive, natural, artificial
      10. Cellular communication in the immune system - cytokines, lymphokines, and interleukins
      11. Inflammation and the inflammatory response
      12. Immunological tolerance
      13. Control of the immune response
   3. Applications of Immune Responses
      1. The role of immunodiagnostics in the clinical laboratory
      2. Types of immunological reactions
      3. Agglutination, precipitation, enzyme-linked immunosorbant assays, monoclonal antibodies, fluorescent antibody techniques, radioimmunoassay, immunoblot procedures, and nucleic acid probes
   4. Immunological Disorders
      1. Allergies and allergens
      2. Four types of hypersensitivity reactions in animals
   5. Host-Microbe Interactions
      1. Major relationships
      2. Normal microbiota
      3. Types of bacterial infections
      4. Determinants of bacterial pathogenesis
      5. Toxoids and antitoxins
      6. Stages of an infectious disease
   6. Epidemiology
      1. Prevention of disease by avoiding exposure
      2. Prevention of disease by immunization
      3. Treatment of disease with antimicrobial agents
      4. Classification of diseases
      5. Centers for Disease Control (CDC)
   7. Antimicrobial Medications
      1. Antimicrobials and antibiotics
      2. Mode of action of major antibacterial antibiotics and growth factor analogs
      3. Antibiotic resistance
4. Infectious Diseases
   1. Skin Infections
      1. Characteristics and structure of human skin
      2. Bacterial diseases and agents
      3. Arthropod-borne diseases
      4. Viral diseases
      5. Mycological diseases
   2. Respiratory Tract Infections
      1. Host defense mechanisms
      2. Bacterial diseases
      3. Viral diseases
      4. Fungal diseases
   3. Gastrointestinal Tract Infections
      1. Pathogens that enter the body via the digestive tract
      2. Toxins and infections
      3. Bacterial diseases
      4. Viral diseases
      5. Fungal diseases
      6. Protozoan diseases
   4. Urogenital Tract Infections
      1. Pathogens that enter the body via the urogenital tract
      2. Structure and function of the urogenital tracts
      3. Bacterial diseases
      4. Viral diseases
      5. Fungal diseases
      6. Protozoan diseases