100 % active participation on practical lessons and 2 credit tests (in 6th and 12th week of the semester).

After completing the course Microbiology students will acquire basic theoretical and practical knowledge of general microbiology. They also acquire practical skills necessary in microbiological laboratory for the basic diagnostics of microorganisms. Students will take skills with preparation bacterial cultures, staining of bacterial cultures, biochemical, serological and molecular-biological methods.

General microbiology (morphology and functions of bacteria, viruses and moulds).

Genetics of microorganisms (genetic code, plasmids, horizontal transfer of genetic information, recombinations, mutations).

Diagnostical methods for detection of pathogens (cultivation of bacterial samples, microscopy, biochemistry, serology, molecular biology.

Tests for detection of ATB resistance of bacteria.

Syllabus of the lectures:

1. Review of development of microbiology. Prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms, bacteria, viruses, yeast and molds: structure and function. Review of taxonomy, terminology.

2. Morphology and structure of bacteria. Endospores.

3. Reproduction and growth of micro-organisms (generation time, division of bacterial cell, growth of bacterial population, control of micro-organism growth

4. Metabolism of micro-organisms. Types of micro-organisms based on nutrient requirements, source of energy, relationship to oxygen.

5. Distribution of microbes in nature. Relationships between micro-organisms, micro-organisms and hosts. Decomposition of natural substances by micro-organisms.

6. Influence of environmental factors on growth of micro-organisms. Antimicrobial substances, mechanisms of their action.

7. Mechanisms of microbial pathogenicity, bacterial toxins, sources and spreading of infections. Sources and spread of infection.

8. Genetics of micro-organisms: DNA replication, proteosynthesis in procaryotic cells.

9. Definitions of basic terms, genetic code, genes, regulation of gene expression.

10. Plasmids. Bacterial viruses. Lytic and lyzogenic cycle.

11. Horizontal and vertical transfer of genetic information: conjugation, transformation, transduction.

12. Changes in genetic information. Mutation and mutagenesis.

13. General virology. Structure and reproduction of animal viruses.

Syllabus of practical lessons:

1. Work in microbiological laboratory, preparation of nutrient media.

2. Isolation and cultivation of bacteria on nutrient media.

3. Evaluation of bacterial growth on nutrient media.

4. Native preparations and simple staining methods.

5. Differential staining methods.

6. Special staining methods – staining of bacterial structures. 1st CREDIT TEST.

7. Selective staining methods.

8. Metabolic activity of bacteria and methods of their testing.

9. Basic serological methods for detection of bacterial antigens.

10. Molecular-biological methods for detection of micro-organisms.

11. Qualitative and quantitative methods for testing bacterial resistance to antibiotics.

12. Detemination of CFU in the sample. 2nd CREDIT TEST.

13. Evaluation of the diagnostical methods used in microbiology. Granting credits.

1. Pilipčinec E., Pistl J. et al.: Practical lessons from Microbiology, UVMP in Košice, 2016.

2. Prescott L.M., Harley J.P., Klein D.A.: Microbiology. WCB Publish., Edit. K. Kane, WCB Communications Inc., 2005.

3. Quinn P. J. et al.: Veterinary Microbiology and Microbial Diseases. Blackwell, 2002.

4. Markey, B. et al.: Clinical Veterinary Microbiology (Second edition), Mosby Elsevier. 2013.

5. Quinn et al.: Veterinary Microbiology and Microbial Disease (2nd ed.), Wiley-Blackwell, 2013.

6. Scott McVey, D. et al.: Veterinary Microbiology (Third edition), Wiley-Blackwell, 2013.

7. Lectures from Microbiology.

Content prerequisite:

Chemistry, Biology, Latin terminology

Continuous assessment:

Active participation on practical labs, individual work, 2 credit tests (min. 5.5 points, max. 10 points/per test).

Conditions for completion of course:

100 % active participation on practical lessons and 2 credit tests (in 6th and 12th week of the semester).

Final assessment:

Credit

Students can attend consultations every week on Thursdays between 2.00-3.00 p.m. We suggest to use Moodle platform with presentations from the lectures and practical lessons and also MS Teams for distance form of the study.