MABIO5100 Bacteriology and Antimicrobial Resistance Course description

The purpose of this course is to make the students capable of actively contributing to research in bacterial diagnostics and combating antimicrobial resistance in the health services and society at large. The course provides a broad theoretical basis in medical bacteriology and comprises history, technology, and future health-related challenges. Emphasis is placed on the most common bacterial infectious diseases and antibiotic resistance.

With the introduction of new diagnostic tools in clinical microbiology, there is an increasing need for health personnel with extensive knowledge of technology's new areas of applications and changed practices. The course therefore also focuses on the connections between clinical practice, diagnostics, and epidemiology to better be able to face imminent technical changes and the emergence of resistance to antimicrobial agents.

Basic microbiology at bachelor's degree level with a scope equivalent to 10 credits.

The student must have been admitted to the study programme. The course is also offered as an individual course.

After completing the course, the student is expected to have achieved the following learning outcomes defined in terms of knowledge, skills and competence:

Knowledge

The student

• has advanced knowledge of the clinically most relevant bacteria; their pathogenesis, epidemiology, how they are diagnosed in the laboratory, and how infection is spread in the environment

• has specialised and updated knowledge of different antimicrobial agents – their mechanisms of action and areas of application

• has in-depth knowledge of resistance development, how this is monitored and what measures are taken to counteract it

• has the ability to describe in detail the need for and the advantages of using technology, such as mass spectrometry and next generation sequencing in diagnostic and epidemiological research

• has specialised knowledge of resistance testing; possibilities, limitations, and future approaches to diagnostics

• has in-depth knowledge of the global health challenge that antibiotic resistance represents

Skills

The student is capable of

• analysing different types of source material, such as public national and international recommendations and research literature, and of conveying key aspects

• applying knowledge from the syllabus, research literature, and from the course’s seminars to explain the reasons for the most common infections and how they are diagnosed

Competence

The student is capable of

• discussing complex correlations between epidemiology, clinic, and resistance development, and view them in light of local/national guidelines and global strategies

• communicating academic viewpoints and own independent work, both to specialists in medical microbiology and the general public

• complying with the research ethical norms and legislation that regulate biomedical research in clinical microbiology

The course consists of several e-learning modules, which include videos, lectures, and knowledge tests based on the written syllabus. There will also be two compulsory two-day sessions where the subject matter will be presented in plenary lectures with subsequent discussions. The sessions also include seminars for student presentations.

The students choose their in-depth assignment from a selection of topics in the first sessions, and work with this independently or in groups until the next and last session. The in-depth assignments are presented to the other students as oral presentations or poster presentations.

The following required coursework must be approved before the student can take the exam:

• Minimum attendance of 80% at sessions

• Presentation (poster or lectures) of own in-depth assignment, individually or in groups of 2–3 students

Exam content: The learning outcomes

Exam form: Individual written home exam over one week, maximum 3,000 words.

All aids are permitted

Grade scale A-F

An external and internal examiner will assess all exams.