Medical microbiology

This module is designed to give students a detailed understanding of clinical microbiology principles and processes related with human disease, diagnosis and treatment. Students will also undertake a systematic literature review and meta-analysis on an infectious disease related topic. Through engaging with this module you will develop your Intellectual, Personal and Digital Abertay Attributes. In particular, students will: * Master their subject, understand how it is evolving, appreciate the importance of interdisciplinarity and recognise how what has been learned can be applied * Be able to critically and rigorously evaluate information, and tackle uncertainty and information gaps with confidence and self-awareness. * Understand and embody self-awareness, honesty and integrity in their professional and personal lives. * Develop digital fluency, giving them knowledge, skills and confidence to embrace digital solutions.

By the end of this module the student should be able to:

1. Critically assess clinical pathogens for their impact on human health, including their pathogenicity, detection, diagnosis and control.
2. Evaluate the impact of control measures such as antibiotics, vaccines and antibody therapies on infectious diseases.
3. Appraise the impact of antimicrobial resistance on the control of infectious diseases.
4. Perform the major steps in a systematic review and meta analysis, including correct statistical analysis and reporting of the data, and critical appraisal of the evidence base in the context of microbiology.

1 Identification of Pathogenic microorganisms

Identification and investigation of pathogenic microorganisms, including viruses, bacteria, fungi protozoa, helminths and the diseases they cause.

2 Microbial Pathogenicity

Mechanisms of pathogenicity in microorganisms

3 Diagnosis and monitoring of infectious diseases

Principles and practice of techniques used for screening, diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of a range of infectious diseases (including POCT), involving a range of methods to detect and identify microorganisms, prevention and control of infection, including vaccination, environmental and vector control

4 Antimicrobial chemotherapy and drug resistance

Modes of action of major synthetic and natural antibiotics. Antibiotic sensitivity testing in clinical laboratories. MIC values. Significance for therapeutic control in hospitals. Mechanisms of drug resistance in micro-organisms. Limitations of current drugs and novel development strategies. Qualitative and quantitative methods to identify antibiotic sensitivity of medically important organisms (antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and anti-parasitics)

5 The microbiome, health and disease

Exploring how microbes can be used to manage infections and NCDs (e.g. IBS, obesity)

6 Systematic review

Setting up and undertaking an appropriate search and screen strategy; risk of bias assessment

7 Meta analysis

data extraction, analysis and reporting