BIOB2200 Medical Microbiology and Immunology Course description

Medical microbiology deals with all types of microorganisms that can cause infection in humans, and the immunological response to such infections. Microbiological laboratories are tasked with contributing to the detection and characterisation of infectious agents and, if relevant, antibodies in patients with a suspected infection. This is important to ensure the best possible treatment of the individual patient and to detect an outbreak as soon as possible, identify sources of infection in the event of outbreaks, sanitise the reservoir of infection and implement preventive measures against the further spread of infection.

Basic knowledge of medical microbiology and immunology are important because biomedical laboratory scientists are responsible for conducting and quality assuring the analyses and detection methods used in this type of laboratory. The course emphasises the detection and identification of microorganisms and determination of bacterial sensitivity/resistance to antibiotics, as well as methods for detecting antibodies against microorganisms. Emphasis is furthermore placed on how the different microorganisms cause infectious disease (pathogenesis) and how the balance between the microorganisms’ virulence and the host's immune system determines how serious the disease becomes.;

• Passed first year or equivalent of the Bachelor’s Programme in Biomedical Laboratory Sciences, or;
• Admitted to the Complementary Education in Biomedical Laboratory Science;

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

Knowledge;

The student;

• can describe the important properties of some of the most prevalent forms of human pathogenic microorganisms;
• can give examples of how microorganisms can cause disease
• can describe the main principles of antibiotics’ mechanisms of action
• can describe some of the resistance mechanisms of bacteria and explain how bacteria can develop resistance to an antibiotic
• can explain how microorganisms can be determined with the help of microscopy, cultivation, bio-chemical, immunological and gene technology methods and mass spectrometry, and describe the methods’ areas of use, possibilities and limitations
• can assess the importance that findings of different microorganisms can have in different types of sample material
• can explain the principles behind different immunological methods for detection of antibodies against microorganisms and describe the methods’ areas of use, possibilities and limitations;
• can explain quality assurance for relevant methods and analyses
• has knowledge of sample collection and the correct treatment of different types of sample material for microbiological investigations, and how analytical, pre- and postanalytical conditions influence analysis results
• can explain principles for sterilisation and disinfection
• is familiar with how social conditions affect the extent of various infectious diseases and the development of resistance at a national and global scale

Skills;

The student

• can detect, isolate and identify important human pathogenic microorganisms and carry out resistance testing on antibiotics, quality assuring methods used and assess sources of error
• can carry out and quality assure different methods for detecting antibodies in patients in connection with infection or vaccination and assess possible sources of error related to these
• can perform work in a responsible manner that safeguards infection control
• can follow procedures for responsible waste management both with regards to the danger of infection and the environment

General competence

The student

• is familiar with the laws and regulations relating to infection control in society and the health services
• can reflect on his/her own practice, keeping up with the latest academic research, seeking and receiving supervision
• can interpret an order containing clinical information and provide the correct test result

Work and teaching methods include lectures, assignments (individually and in groups) and laboratory work.

Most teaching activities take place in the laboratory, where findings of microorganisms and their antibodies, if any, from different types of sample material are examined.;Relevant theory is linked to practice through lectures, individual assignments and various forms of group assignments in addition to self-study.

In order to be permitted to take the exam, the following must have been approved:;

• a minimum of 90 per cent attendance in laboratory work;
• a minimum of 80 per cent attendance in scheduled group work
• laboratory reports in accordance with specified criteria

Eksamen består av to deler, en skriftlig- og en muntlig del. Den skriftlige delen teller 50 % og den muntlige delen teller 50%. Begge deler må være bestått for å få karakter.

Del 1) Individuell skriftlig semesteroppgave. Omfang 2000 ord +/- 10%.

Del 2) Individuell muntlig eksamen, varighet 20 minutter. En forberedt fremføring (ca. 10 minutter) etterfulgt av en muntlig høring der studenten besvarer spørsmål fra pensum (ca. 10 minutter).

Ny/utsatt eksamen

Ny og utsatt eksamen gjennomføres på samme måte som ved ordinær eksamen. Ved ikke bestått/legeattest ved én eller flere eksamensdeler er det kun den/de gjeldende delen(e) som må tas på nytt. Ved første nye eksamen kan det leveres en bearbeidet versjon av semesteroppgaven. Ved senere forsøk leveres ny semesteroppgave.

Studentens rettigheter og plikter ved ny/utsatt eksamen framgår av forskrift om studier og eksamen ved OsloMet. Studenter er selv ansvarlige for å melde seg opp

Del 1) Alle hjelpemidler er tillatt så lenge regler for kildehenvisning følges.

Del 2) I forberedelsen til muntlig eksamen er alle hjelpemidler tillatt så lenge regler for kildehenvisning følges.

Eksamen vurderes etter gradert skala fra A til E for bestått og F for ikke bestått.

En intern og en ekstern sensor på begge delene.

7 credits overlap with the course BIO2200 Medical Microbiology and Immunological Diagnostics