Generale Pathology, Immunology and Medical Microbiology
A.Y. 2023/2024
Learning objectives
The integrated course of General Pathology, Immunology and Medical Microbiology aims to provide the tools to understand the molecular mechanisms and the pathogenesis of human diseases. In addition, the course will provide the bases for understanding the mechanisms of immune defenses, innate and acquired, implemented by the host. The main aim of the course in medical microbiology is to provide new and deep knowledge on structure, replication, mechanisms of pathogenesis, diagnostic procedures and therapy of viruses, bacteria and parasites of medical interest.
Expected learning outcomes
The students will be able to define the molecular mechanisms of human, communicable and not communicable diseases and the basis of immunity and inflammation. They will be able to recognize the causes (aetiology) and the mechanisms (pathogenesis) of diseases, and to understand and use common medical words and meanings. At the end of the course, the students will be able to recognize the structure, genomic organization, replication and pathogenesis of the most common viruses, bacteria and parasites which cause diseases in the human population. The students will be able to recognize for each pathogen prevention strategies/cure models/treatment and diagnostic procedures. Moreover, they will develop methods to investigate any disease and to critically analyze scientific publications on the field.
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Lesson period
First semester
Course syllabus
Didactic Unit of General pathology and Immunology (7 ECTS)
- General definitions: homeostasis, signs and symptoms of diseases, extrinsic and intrinsic causes of disease
- Cellular and tissue responses to damage.
Intrinsic and extrinsic factors for acute and chronic damage; reversible effects and cellular adaptive responses (atrophy, hyperplasia, metaplasia, dysplasia); cellular aging. Accumulation disorders: steatosis, glycogenosis, amyloidosis. Cell death (necrosis, apoptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy).
- Immunology: innate and acquired immune responses
- Inflammatory response and innate immunity
Acute inflammation-Vascular events. Vasodilatation with hyperaemia. Increased vascular permeability. Edema formation. Production of vascular mediators. Arachidonic acid metabolism: prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Myeloid cells involved in inflammation and innate immunity and their functions. Macrophage subpopulations, phagocytosis and intracellular killing mechanisms. Inflammatory cytokines: Interleukin 1, Tumor Necrosis Factor, IL6. Chemotaxis and chemotactic factor, the family of chemokines, the adhesion molecules. The complement system. Systemic effects of acute inflammation: leukocytosis, fever, acute phase proteins
Recovery and tissue repair. Types of Tissue regeneration. Repair (scars and fibrosis). Fibrogenic and anti-fibrogenic cytokines. Angiogenesis. Mechanisms of wound healing. Pathological aspects of the repair. The role of stem cells in tissue repair.
Chronic Inflammation: general features and etiology. Histological features. Cells of chronic inflammation. Macrophages, fibroblasts. Chronic Inflammatory lesions: abscesses, ulcers, granulomas.
- Acquired Immunity
Features of Innate and acquired immunity. Lymphoid cells and primary and secondary organs. Antigen recognition, generation of receptor diversity in B and T lymphocytes; structure of antige receptors and their gene rearrangements. Structure and functions of MHC molecules of class I and II, antigen presentation. Humoral immune response: B Lymphocytes: origin, characteristics and functions. Structure of antibodies. Primary and secondary antibody response. Effector mechanisms of antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies.
Cell-mediated immunity. T Lymphocytes: origin, characteristics and functions. Subpopulation of T lymphocytes: T helper, T cytotoxic and T regulatory. identification of Immune check-points.
Role of stimulatory or suppressive cytokines in T lymphocyte activation.
Immuno-prophylaxis. Principle of vaccination and characteristics of different vaccines.
- Immunopathology
Hypersensitivity reactions: Type I, immediate hypersensitivity reaction, Allergy or athopy. Damage caused by cytotoxic antibodies. Immune complex diseases. Delayed type hypersensitivity (tuberculin- contact DTH)
Immunological tolerance and autoimmune diseases: general features and details on selected diseases: rheumathoid arthritis, Systemic Lupus erythematosus, Type I diabetes, Myasthenia gravis, Celiac disease.
Physiopathology
- Oncology
Epidemiology. Tumor mortality and morbility. Environmental causes. Tumor classification. Functional and morphological features of benign and malignant tumors. Tumor invasiveness and metastatization. Tumor angiogenesis. Carcinogenesis: general principles. Genetic of tumor transformation: Protooncogenes, Oncogene and oncosuppressor genes. Tumor caused by infectious agents ( virus or bacteria); familial and hereditary cancers. Stadiation and diagnosis of cancer; conventional methods, histology, immunodiagnosis, liquid biopsy, monoclonal antibodies in cancer diagnosis and therapy. Tumor markers. Immunotherapy and tumor gene therapy. Prevention and screening.
Other pathologies
- Genetic and congenital diseases with examples of monogenic diseases. Autosomal dominant or recessive or etherocromosomal-related diseases. with examples like familial hyperlipidemia, sickle cells anemia, thalassemia, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia A & B, and others. Chromosomal abnormalities, Down syndrome and other chromosomic diseases.
- Pathophysiology of the respiratory system: infectious diseases, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial diseases, lung tumors
- High burden diseases related to poverty (malaria, leishmaniases)
Practical lessons (1ECTS)
Labster platform
Didactic Unit of Medical Microbiology (3ECTS)
Introduction to Virology
1. Viruses: structure, genomes and replication (3h)
2. Viral transmission and pathogenesis: acute, chronic, persistent and latent infection (3h)
3. Therapies and mechanisms of resistance (3h)
Medical virology:
4. Herpesviridae & Papillomaviridae (3h)
5. Orthomixoviridae & Para/pneumomixoviridae (3h)
6. Coronaviridae e Retroviridae (3h)
7. Viral hepatitis: HBV, HAV, HCV, HDV, HEV (3h)
Nosocomial infections and superbugs:
8. ESKAPE pathogens (3h)
- General definitions: homeostasis, signs and symptoms of diseases, extrinsic and intrinsic causes of disease
- Cellular and tissue responses to damage.
Intrinsic and extrinsic factors for acute and chronic damage; reversible effects and cellular adaptive responses (atrophy, hyperplasia, metaplasia, dysplasia); cellular aging. Accumulation disorders: steatosis, glycogenosis, amyloidosis. Cell death (necrosis, apoptosis, pyroptosis, autophagy).
- Immunology: innate and acquired immune responses
- Inflammatory response and innate immunity
Acute inflammation-Vascular events. Vasodilatation with hyperaemia. Increased vascular permeability. Edema formation. Production of vascular mediators. Arachidonic acid metabolism: prostaglandins and leukotrienes. Myeloid cells involved in inflammation and innate immunity and their functions. Macrophage subpopulations, phagocytosis and intracellular killing mechanisms. Inflammatory cytokines: Interleukin 1, Tumor Necrosis Factor, IL6. Chemotaxis and chemotactic factor, the family of chemokines, the adhesion molecules. The complement system. Systemic effects of acute inflammation: leukocytosis, fever, acute phase proteins
Recovery and tissue repair. Types of Tissue regeneration. Repair (scars and fibrosis). Fibrogenic and anti-fibrogenic cytokines. Angiogenesis. Mechanisms of wound healing. Pathological aspects of the repair. The role of stem cells in tissue repair.
Chronic Inflammation: general features and etiology. Histological features. Cells of chronic inflammation. Macrophages, fibroblasts. Chronic Inflammatory lesions: abscesses, ulcers, granulomas.
- Acquired Immunity
Features of Innate and acquired immunity. Lymphoid cells and primary and secondary organs. Antigen recognition, generation of receptor diversity in B and T lymphocytes; structure of antige receptors and their gene rearrangements. Structure and functions of MHC molecules of class I and II, antigen presentation. Humoral immune response: B Lymphocytes: origin, characteristics and functions. Structure of antibodies. Primary and secondary antibody response. Effector mechanisms of antibodies. Monoclonal antibodies.
Cell-mediated immunity. T Lymphocytes: origin, characteristics and functions. Subpopulation of T lymphocytes: T helper, T cytotoxic and T regulatory. identification of Immune check-points.
Role of stimulatory or suppressive cytokines in T lymphocyte activation.
Immuno-prophylaxis. Principle of vaccination and characteristics of different vaccines.
- Immunopathology
Hypersensitivity reactions: Type I, immediate hypersensitivity reaction, Allergy or athopy. Damage caused by cytotoxic antibodies. Immune complex diseases. Delayed type hypersensitivity (tuberculin- contact DTH)
Immunological tolerance and autoimmune diseases: general features and details on selected diseases: rheumathoid arthritis, Systemic Lupus erythematosus, Type I diabetes, Myasthenia gravis, Celiac disease.
Physiopathology
- Oncology
Epidemiology. Tumor mortality and morbility. Environmental causes. Tumor classification. Functional and morphological features of benign and malignant tumors. Tumor invasiveness and metastatization. Tumor angiogenesis. Carcinogenesis: general principles. Genetic of tumor transformation: Protooncogenes, Oncogene and oncosuppressor genes. Tumor caused by infectious agents ( virus or bacteria); familial and hereditary cancers. Stadiation and diagnosis of cancer; conventional methods, histology, immunodiagnosis, liquid biopsy, monoclonal antibodies in cancer diagnosis and therapy. Tumor markers. Immunotherapy and tumor gene therapy. Prevention and screening.
Other pathologies
- Genetic and congenital diseases with examples of monogenic diseases. Autosomal dominant or recessive or etherocromosomal-related diseases. with examples like familial hyperlipidemia, sickle cells anemia, thalassemia, cystic fibrosis, hemophilia A & B, and others. Chromosomal abnormalities, Down syndrome and other chromosomic diseases.
- Pathophysiology of the respiratory system: infectious diseases, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial diseases, lung tumors
- High burden diseases related to poverty (malaria, leishmaniases)
Practical lessons (1ECTS)
Labster platform
Didactic Unit of Medical Microbiology (3ECTS)
Introduction to Virology
1. Viruses: structure, genomes and replication (3h)
2. Viral transmission and pathogenesis: acute, chronic, persistent and latent infection (3h)
3. Therapies and mechanisms of resistance (3h)
Medical virology:
4. Herpesviridae & Papillomaviridae (3h)
5. Orthomixoviridae & Para/pneumomixoviridae (3h)
6. Coronaviridae e Retroviridae (3h)
7. Viral hepatitis: HBV, HAV, HCV, HDV, HEV (3h)
Nosocomial infections and superbugs:
8. ESKAPE pathogens (3h)
Prerequisites for admission
The Course of General Pathology, Immunology and Medical Microbiology is scheduled in the I semester of the III year of the Pharmacological curriculum.
To be admitted to the written test the students must pass first the exams of Biochemistry, Human physiology with anatomy and General Microbiology, as indicated in the Manifesto degli Studi.
To be admitted to the written test the students must pass first the exams of Biochemistry, Human physiology with anatomy and General Microbiology, as indicated in the Manifesto degli Studi.
Teaching methods
The Course consists of two didactic units (UD): one of General pathology and Immunology and one of Medical Microbiology. The UD of General pathology and Immunology consists of 7 ECTS (56h) of lectures given by the Professor of the Course and occasionally seminars by external experts on specific subjects. Power point presentations or short videos are usually used and are provided to the students in the Moodle site of the course. In addition, there is 1 ECTS of practical work which includes 8 h of laboratory training for each student, divided in 2 sessions: 1. histological examination by microscopy of fixed tissues or cells to identify signs of different pathologies (atherosclerosis, anemia, tumours); 2. induction of erythroid differentiation in vitro and measure of haemoglobin producing cells by benzidine staining. The remaining 8h of practical work are organized as team working or project development. Both types of practical work are under the supervision of dedicated teachers and part time tutors. The UD of Medical Microbiology consists of 3 CFU (24h) of lectures given by the Professor of the Course and occasionally seminars by external experts on specific subjects. Power point presentations are usually used and are provided to the students in the Ariel site of the course.
Teaching Resources
All the material and slides will be provided by the teachers on the Moodle (MyAriel) web site
Books:
UD of General pathology and Immunology
Fabio Celotti. Patologia generale e fisiopatologia, II Ed, EdiSES. 2013 under revision and with on line update
Pontieri GM Elementi di Patologia generale & Fisiopatologia generale, IV Ed Piccin 2018
L. Altucci, G. Berton et al. Patologia generale Volume I 2019 Ed. Idelson-Gnocchi
Abbas AK. et al Le basi dell'Immunologia EDRA 2017
UD of Medical Microbiology
1. G. Antonelli, M. Clementi, G. Pozzi, G.M. Rossolini Principi di Microbiologia Medica; Casa Editrice Ambrosiana CEA
2. Murray, Rosenthal, Pfaller Microbiologia Medica. Edra
Books:
UD of General pathology and Immunology
Fabio Celotti. Patologia generale e fisiopatologia, II Ed, EdiSES. 2013 under revision and with on line update
Pontieri GM Elementi di Patologia generale & Fisiopatologia generale, IV Ed Piccin 2018
L. Altucci, G. Berton et al. Patologia generale Volume I 2019 Ed. Idelson-Gnocchi
Abbas AK. et al Le basi dell'Immunologia EDRA 2017
UD of Medical Microbiology
1. G. Antonelli, M. Clementi, G. Pozzi, G.M. Rossolini Principi di Microbiologia Medica; Casa Editrice Ambrosiana CEA
2. Murray, Rosenthal, Pfaller Microbiologia Medica. Edra
Assessment methods and Criteria
At the end of the course the students will take a written test.
For the Pathology-Immunology module, the written test consists in brief answers to 4 open questions randomly chosen for each student among a list of approximately 120 questions which cover all the subjects of the program. The questions are different in each academic year and are made available to the students at the end of the lessons on the Moodle (MyAriel) web site. A score from 0 to 5 is assigned to each answer.
For the Medical Microbiology module, the written test consists in 20 multiple-choice questions regarding all the subjects of the program. A score of 0.5 is assigned to each right answer; zero point is assigned to each wrong or missing answer.
Each student has 15 min/answer for open questions, and 30 minutes for the multiple-choice questions; therefore, the total length of the written test is 90 minutes.
To pass the exam, the total score must be equal or greater than 18/30. The student must answer to all the open questions and to at least 5 multiple questions of the test. The student can withdraw before the end of the test, and that will be recorded, and can repeat the exam at the next available date.
For the Pathology-Immunology module, the written test consists in brief answers to 4 open questions randomly chosen for each student among a list of approximately 120 questions which cover all the subjects of the program. The questions are different in each academic year and are made available to the students at the end of the lessons on the Moodle (MyAriel) web site. A score from 0 to 5 is assigned to each answer.
For the Medical Microbiology module, the written test consists in 20 multiple-choice questions regarding all the subjects of the program. A score of 0.5 is assigned to each right answer; zero point is assigned to each wrong or missing answer.
Each student has 15 min/answer for open questions, and 30 minutes for the multiple-choice questions; therefore, the total length of the written test is 90 minutes.
To pass the exam, the total score must be equal or greater than 18/30. The student must answer to all the open questions and to at least 5 multiple questions of the test. The student can withdraw before the end of the test, and that will be recorded, and can repeat the exam at the next available date.
Unità didattica: Microbiologia medica
MED/04 - EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
MED/07 - MICROBIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
MED/07 - MICROBIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
Lessons: 24 hours
Professor:
Alteri Claudia
Unità didattica: Patologia generale e immunologia
MED/04 - EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY
MED/07 - MICROBIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
MED/07 - MICROBIOLOGY AND CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY
Practicals: 8 hours
Single bench laboratory practical: 8 hours
Lessons: 56 hours
Single bench laboratory practical: 8 hours
Lessons: 56 hours
Shifts:
Professor:
D'Alessandro Sarah
Turno 1
Professor:
D'Alessandro SarahTurno 2
Professor:
Calvo Alvarez EstefaniaTurno 3
Professor:
Calvo Alvarez EstefaniaTurno 4
Professor:
Milione MassimoEducational website(s)
Professor(s)
Reception:
Available on Teams and in presence, day and time to be agreed upon via e-mail
Teams or in presence
Reception:
to be defined
via Carlo Pascal, 36 - 20133 MILANO