MICR332: Health Microbiology 18 points; Semester 2 Course prescription: Disease mechanisms of key microbial pathogens, including bacteria, protozoa, and fungi. Treatment and control of microbial diseases. Role of the human microbiome and commensals in health and disease.. Course overview: In this paper, we will discuss select microbes that cause important human diseases, the impact of commensal microbes on health, and strategies developed to prevent or treat infections. This paper is relevant to students who have an interest in medical microbiology. It is not designed for medical students, but rather for potential microbiological researchers, managers of medical practices or medical laboratories, or future makers of medical policy. Lecture course overview: The lectures are divided into four modules. There will be one tutorial. Keith Ireton: Molecular approaches to identify bacterial virulence factors and host susceptibility factors; Specific bacterial pathogens and their respective diseases. Xochitl Morgan: The human microbiome; the role of commensals in health and disease. Bruce Russell: Parasitology. James Ussher: Treatment of infections with antimicrobial agents; Vaccines. Lab course overview: The human body is home to thousands of bacterial species. Many are innocuous, but others may be pathogenic. In the MICR332 labs, you will plan your own experiments, develop a research project, and prepare a written report of your findings. You will investigate your own microflora by isolating bacteria from different body sites. You will then identify and characterise the isolated bacterial strains. You will also identify and characterise two unknown medically relevant strains that are given to you. You will be using growth on differential and selective agar or mass spectrometry for the identification of bacteria, and a variety of medical laboratory assays to test for the production of known bacterial virulence factors. Assessment: 1. A laboratory report written in the style of a scientific paper (25%). Due August 9 th at 5:00 PM. 2. A 20-question quiz on the laboratory material (5%). Will take place on August 1 st, during the lab session. 3. A 3-hour final exam on the lecture material (70%). Held during the final exam period. Course prerequisites: MICR 221 and MICR 223 1
Note: BBiomedSc students are permitted to take MICR 332 without the MICR 221 prerequisite. Course Timetable: Lectures: Days and times: Wednesday, Friday 12:00 12:50 PM Locations: Wednesdays: TG08; Fridays: ARCH1 Laboratory sessions (July 11 th - August 2 nd ): Days and times: Tuesday 2:00 PM- 5:50 PM; Wednesday 9:00 AM -5:50 PM Note: You will also need to perform small amounts of lab work on other days. Times at which the lab is available are given in the MICR 332 lab manual. Location: 3 rd floor microbiology laboratory, Microbiology building. Attendance: Required in order to make terms. Note: there are no lecture or practical clashes between any of the 300-level MICR papers Textbook: Recommended text: Wilson, BA., Salyers, AA., Whitt, DD. And Winkler ME. 2011, Third edition. Bacterial pathogenesis. A Molecular Approach. American Society for Microbiology. Note: When appropriate, lecturers will suggest reading in the text that may help you better understand their lecture material. However, material for the exams will be taken from lecture content. Reading the text is suggested, but not absolutely required. Workload expectations: This paper has 25 lectures (50 min each) and 8 laboratory sessions (up to ~ 36 hours). A guide to workload expectations is as follows: Lecture preparation (reading and review): 2 hours per lecture Laboratory preparation: 1 hour per laboratory session Laboratory quiz preparation: 3 hours Laboratory report: 25 hours Final exam preparation: 40 hours Responsibilities of Students Students are responsible for making themselves aware of all University rules and regulations pertaining to their rights and responsibilities as students and to the degree in which they are enrolled. Students shall be deemed to have received any information: i. provided in scheduled classes, regardless of attendance; ii. sent to their student email address; iii. made available via Blackboard or other University-approved learning management systems. (a) Students are expected to be aware of all information related to a paper that is made available to them, and, in a timely manner, to raise with staff any questions or concerns relating to this information. (b) Students are expected to be aware of, and to act in accordance with, the University s Academic Integrity Policy. 2
Academic Integrity: Academic integrity means being honest in your studying and assessments. It is the basis for ethical decision-making and behaviour in an academic context. Academic integrity is informed by the values of honesty, trust, responsibility, fairness, respect and courage. Students are expected to be aware of, and act in accordance with, the University s Academic Integrity Policy. Academic Misconduct, such as plagiarism or cheating, is a breach of Academic Integrity and is taken very seriously by the University. Types of misconduct include plagiarism, copying, unauthorized collaboration, taking unauthorised material into a test or exam, impersonation, and assisting someone else s misconduct. A more extensive list of the types of academic misconduct and associated processes and penalties is available in the University s Student Academic Misconduct Procedures. It is your responsibility to be aware of and use acceptable academic practices when completing your assessments. To access the information in the Academic Integrity Policy and learn more, please visit the University s Academic Integrity website at www.otago.ac.nz/study/academicintegrity or ask at the Student Learning Centre or Library. If you have any questions, ask your lecturer. Teaching Staff: Associate Prof. Keith Ireton (course convenor) Dr. Xochitl Morgan Dr. James Ussher Dr Bruce Russell Megan Hall (300 level teaching fellow) For further information on this paper, please contact Keith Ireton (479-7396, keith.ireton@otago.ac.nz) Office hours: Keith Ireton, Mondays, 2:00-4:00 PM or by arrangement. Megan Hall, Fridays, 2:00-4:00 PM or by arrangement 3
MICR 332: Lecture schedule (lecture content is available on Blackboard) Module 1. Bacterial pathogens; Keith Ireton; July 12 th - August 4 th Lecture 1: Measuring infectivity and virulence Lecture 2: Molecular approaches for identification of bacterial virulence factors Lecture 3: Staphylococcus aureus (skin and wound infections) Lecture 4: Clostridium difficile (exotoxin producer; cause of colitis) Lecture 5: Tutorial on writing laboratory reports Lecture 6: Yersinia enterocolitica spp. (gastroenteritis; plague) Lecture 7: Mycobacterium tuberculosis (chronic respiratory infections) Lecture 8: Listeria monocytogenes (opportunistic pathogen) Module 2: Role of the human microbiome and commensals in health and disease; Xochitl Morgan; August 8 th - August 23 rd Lecture 9: Structure and function of the human microbiome Lecture 10: Homeostasis in ecosystems (Clostridium difficile and Enterococcus faecalis) Lecture 11: Homeostasis between commensals and the immune system (Crohn s disease) Lecture 12: Homeostasis involving the vaginal microbiome Lecture 13: Candida albicans: versatility in many niches Module 3: Antimicrobials and vaccines; James Ussher; August 25 th Lecture 14: Use of antibiotics to control bacterial infections (1) Mid-semester break; August 28 th - August 31 st Lecture 15: Return of Lab Reports; Keith Ireton; September 6 th Module 3: Antimicrobials and vaccines; James Ussher; September 8 th September 20 th Lecture 16: Use of antibiotics to control bacterial infections (2) Lecture 17: Antifungals and antiviral agents Lecture 18: Effective use of vaccines in medicine (1) Lecture 19: Effective use of vaccines in medicine (2) Module 4: Parasitology (protozoan pathogens); Bruce Russell; September 22 nd October 11 th Lecture 20: Introduction to parasitology Lecture 21: Malaria Lecture 22: Protozoans causing gastrointestinal disease: Giardia and Cryptosporidium Lecture 23: Intestinal helminths and nematodes Lecture 24: Schistosomiasis and Fillariasis Lecture 25: Revision 4
Overall course objectives: Understand mechanisms by which select bacterial, fungal, protozoan pathogens cause disease. Appreciate how commensal microbes and the human microbiome impact health and disease. Understand the principles behind different forms of medical intervention, including antibiotics and vaccines. Lecture objectives: Be familiar with experimental approaches to measure virulence of microbial pathogens and to identify bacterial virulence factors. Understand how virulence factors contribute to diseases caused by representative pyogenic, toxin-producing, chronic, or opportunistic bacterial pathogens. Appreciate the role of commensal microbes in shaping the immune system and preventing pathogen colonization and disease. Describe how disruptions in host-commensal homeostasis contribute to pathology. Appreciate the importance and complexity of parasites to human and animal health. Understand the contribution of antibacterial, antifungal, antiparasitic and antiviral agents to the treatment of infectious disease. Understand the contribution of vaccines to the prevention of infectious disease and the challenges in developing new vaccines. 5