General Microbiology

Instance: 2024/2025 - 1S

Cycles of Study/Courses

Teaching language

Objectives

This is the first discipline in the area of Microbiology, of this course. The main goal of this unit is to make students sensitive to the Microbiology relevance to Life Sciences with particular emphasis in Bacteriology.
Theoretical program aims to drive students in the study of Microbiology basics showing general characteristics of microbial entities relating with hosts and the environment. Bacterial cell organization, ultra-structure and metabolism of bacterial cell will be studied as a model of the most relevant agents of infection and microbial contamination. Bacterial genetics and antimicrobial therapeutics will be addressed in an integrated way.
Laboratorial program aims to introduce students in classical methodologies in Microbiology as morphological characterization, metabolism, genetics and antimicrobial susceptibility and also support experimentally concepts discussed in theoretical classes.

Learning outcomes and competences

Students should get the ability to integrate the basic knowledge of the microbial world. Acquired skills will make them able to interpret concepts of different microbial areas relevant in the state of art in health and environment in accordance with the "One health" approach. Relevance of the microbial world in terms of sustainability, waste and energy management and circular economy. Ecological perspective of antibiotic resistance. Microbial communities and microbiota relation with hosts. Microbiota equilibrium in health and prevention of illness. Intestinal colonization and disrupting factors. Recognition of the relevance of the area of ​​Microbiology in Public Health.

Working method

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

Students should have basic knowledge of Cell Biology and Biochemistry.

Program

Theoretical

Microbiology in a global aproach. Beneficial and deleterious actions of microorganisms. Brief history of Microbiology. Taxonomic position of Microorganisms in the context of living beings. Tree of life.
Main groups of microorganisms: bacteria, fungi, parasites e virus. Microorganisms as disease causing agents. Relevance of commensal flora. Ecological relevance of microorganisms. Vírus as individual biological entities, structure and multiplication.Fungi. Structural and physiological characteristics of fungal cell. Parasites. Definition and classification.
Bacteria. Bacterial cell organization and ultra-structure. Bacterial metabolism and genetics. Antibacterial agents mechanisms of action and resistance relating with the concepts presented in the discipline. Virulence factors in bacteria. Physical-chemical control of microorganisms. Genetic information transfer. Transformation of native in pathogenic and antibiotic resistant bacteria.

Laboratorial

Safety rules in Microbiology laboratory. Sterile technique. Comparative microscopic observation of bacteria and fungi. Observation of fresh preparations and after Gram staining. Bacterial mobility observation. Other differential colorations. Sterilization. Types of culture media in Microbiology. Isolation of bacterial cultures in differential and selective culture media. Bacterial metabolism. Bacterial enzymatic activity detection. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing by agar diffusion methods and interpretative reading for detection of resistance mechanisms. Bacterial genetics: conjugative transfer of antimicrobial resistance determinants.

Mandatory literature

Teaching methods and learning activities

Evaluation Type

Assessment Components

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Eligibility for exams

Students have to attend 75% of the laboratory classes and get 9,5 grade in laboratorial classes classification, to be admitted to the final exam.

Calculation formula of final grade

Laboratory classes classification 40%+60% final exam.
Students must have 9,5 grade in the final exam to get approval.

Classification improvement

Observations