Microbes, Infection and Immunity - BMED2404

This unit of study begins by introducing the concepts of disease transmission, pathogenicity and virulence mechanisms of microbes. For a full understanding of the process of infection, the structure and function of pathogenic microorganisms is examined. How the body deals with injury and infection is discussed by exploring barriers to infection and host response once those barriers are breached. The body's response to such physical damage is dealt with in a series of lectures on wound healing, clotting and inflammation, and is complemented by discussion of the pharmacological basis of anti-inflammatory drugs. This is followed by a comprehensive discussion of molecular and cellular immune responses to pathogen invasion. In particular, this gives students an appreciation of the processing of antigens, the structure, production and diversity of antibodies, the operation of the complement system and mechanisms for recognition and destruction of invading microbes. The unit concludes with an overview of microbial diseases, the characteristics of causative agents, pathogenesis and symptoms as well as treatment and control and culminates with exploring current issues of antibiotic resistance, important emerging infections and vaccination strategies. Practical classes illustrate and underpin the lecture content. Students will investigate normal flora, host defences and medically important microbes and will obtain experience in, and an understanding of, a range of techniques in bacteriology. In these practical sessions experience will be gained handling live, potentially pathogenic microbes.

Classes
Two lectures and one practical per week, two tutorials

Assessment
One 2-hour theory exam (60%), in-semester assessments (40%)

Textbooks
Prescott's Microbiology Willey JM, Sherwood LM and Woolverton CJ McGraw-Hill, 10th Edition, 2016 Basic Immunology: Functions and Disorders of the Immune System. Abass AK and Lichtman AH WB Saunders, 4th Edition, 2013 Robbins Basic Pathology Kumar V, Abbas AK and Aster J Saunders, Philadelphia, 9th Edition, 2013

30 credit points from [12cp from CHEM1XXX and 12cp from MATH1XXX and 12cp from (BIOL1XXX, MBLG1XXX)]

ANAT2008 or ANAT2010 or ANAT2011 or ANAT2910 or BCHM2072 or BCHM2972 or BIOL2006 or BIOL2016 or BIOL2906 or BIOL2916 or BMED2807 or BMED2904 or IMMU2101 or MICR2021 or MICR2022 or MICR2921 or MICR2922 or NUTR2911 or NUTR2912 or PCOL2011