BMS 451 Medical Microbiology

Description
: This course will focus on how microbes cause important human
diseases. We will do this by examining both general principles of pathogenesis as
well as the specific mechanisms of microbial pathogenesis in medically important
pathogens. In addition, we will learn the principles of epidemiology, laboratory
diagnosis of infection and methods for combating infection.
Duration
: 1 semester, 3 hrs class instruction per week
Prerequisites
: BLG 151
Textbook
(req): Schaechters Mechanisms of Microbial Disease, Fifth Edition;
Engleberg, DiRita and Dermody; ISBN: 978-0-7817-8744-4
Instructor
: Dr. Joseph McPhee; Office: KHE 326A
jbmcphee@ryerson.ca
Lectures:

KHE 216 - Tu 2:00PM - 3:00PM

KHW 061 - We 10:00AM - 12:00PM

Office Hours
: Tuesday 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Course Evaluation
:
10%
- Write a news and views article summarizing the main point of a recent (<1
year old) article concerning microbial pathogenesis and/or clinical diagnosis.
Describe the main conclusions, why it is important and use language that is
appropriate for a non-specialist audience. Journals to consider looking in include
(but are not limited to); PLOS Pathogens, Cell Host and Microbe, Infection and
Immunity, New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Clinical Microbiology, or
Cell.
20%
- Pathogen project; create a YouTube style video presentation on a pathogen
that is not specifically covered in class. The length should be no more than 3-5
minutes. You are free to use any props, drawing, graphics etc that you like. Be
creative!
5%
- proposal and annotated bibliography of references used in the
presentation (3-5)
10%
- video
5%
- your response to my questions on the presentation; you will be free to
use any materials to compose your answers to these questions. I will accept
submission via D2L
10%
- In class thoughts these are basically a quick written statement on a
question Ive given to the class. These are not marked for correctness but are

meant to encourage you to think about the concepts being discussed. You will
receive 1 point for each of these that you hand in up to a maximum of 10%
20%
- Midterm exam
40%
- Final exam
Learning objectives
:
Describe what a pathogen is and define important factors that are critical for
pathogenesis in medically important pathogens.
Describe molecular techniques used in the study of microbial pathogenesis.
Describe the principles of epidemiology and how they are used to track outbreaks of
infectious disease.
Describe the role of the normal host microbiota in susceptibility to disease.
Understand the contribution of the host immune response in both defending against
infection and in causing host damage.
Describe the principle of laboratory mediated diagnosis of infectious disease using
both classical and molecular microbiological techniques.
Understand how antimicrobial resistance is a growing threat to human health and
know some means to combat it.
Demonstrate an understanding of important human pathogens, their mechanism of
pathogenesis and diagnosis/treatment of the disease they cause.
Course Synopsis for Lectures
:
Material covered during the Lectures will be drawn from the chapters listed in the
table below in the required textbook and occasional supplementary materials. Not
all chapters will be covered in the same detail and it is the responsibility of each
student to attend class and note which sections from each chapter are, or are not,
being covered. Tests and exam questions will be drawn only from the overlap
between material covered in class and material in the textbook or in hand-outs.
1. 1/19; Introduction - 1 hr; syllabus; explanation of projects
2. 1/20-1/26; What is the the normal microbiota? What is infectious disease?
What is a pathogen? (Chapter 2, 3, 8, 10, 3 hr)
a. History of microbiology and germ theory of disease
b. What is infectious disease
c. Normal microbiota
d. What is a pathogen?
i.
Kochs postulates and Kochs molecular postulates
ii.
Should we ditch the term pathogen
3. 1/27; Genetic approaches to studying bacterial pathogenesis (Chapter 4 and
supplemental material 2 hr)
4. 2/2; Principles of epidemiology (Chapter 59 1 hrs)
5. 2/3; Introduction to immunity (Chapter 6 and 7 - 2 hrs)
6. 2/10; Toxin-mediated host damage (Chapter 9 1 hr);
7. 2/11; Principles of diagnosis (Chapter 58 and supplemental - 2 hrs)
Due date for News and Views article

2/16-2/17;Reading week; no classes

8. 2/24;
Pseudomonas
(Chapter 18 1 hr);
9. 2/25; Extracellular pathogens;
Staphylococcus
and
Streptococcus
(Chapters
11-13 2 hr)
10. 3/1;
Helicobacter
(Chapter 22 1 hr);
Due date for 1 page (250 word) summary of video outline and
references
11. 3/2; Enteric pathogens;
Vibrio
,
Escherichia
,
Salmonella
,
Shigella
(Chapters
15-17 2 hr)
12. 3/8;
Mycobacterium sp.
; Tuberculosis and Leprosy (Chapter 23 1 hr)
13. 3/9;.
Midterm exam
14. 3/15; Gonorrhea and syphilis (Chapter 14 and 24 1 hr)
15. 3/16; Obligate intracellular pathogens;
Chlamydia
and
Rickettsia
(Chapter
27-28 2 hr)
16. 3/22; Antibiotic therapy (Chapter 5 and 30 1 hr)
17. 3/23; Medical mycology (Chapter 47-49 - 2 hrs)
18. 3/29; Biology of viruses (Chapter 31 1 hr)
19. 3/30; Picornoviruses and influenza (Chapter 32 and 36 2 hrs)
20. 4/5; Rotavirus and norovirus (Chapter 37 1 hr);
Due date for YouTube video
21. 4/6; Herpesvirus (Chapter 41 and 42 2 hr)
22. 4/12; HIV (Chapter 71 - 1 hr)
23. 4/13; Antiviral treatment (Chapter 44 and 45 2 hrs)