Syllabus of General Microbiology

 GENERAL VETERINARY MICROBIOLOGY                3 (2-1)

 

Learning outcomes:

 

At the end of the course, students will be able to:

1.    Describe general characteristics of bacteria, fungi and virus

2.    Elaborate physico-chemical requirements for microbial growth

3.    Describe preliminary identification of micro-organisms.

 

Theory:

Introduction of Microbiology, Definition and branches of Microbiology, Historical introduction including works of Pasteur, Koch and Lister etc, Recent developments in microbiology, Prokaryotes v/s Eukaryotes, Growth medium, types of culture media, preparation of the medium in the lab, Bacterial growth and multiplication, Bacterial multiplication and growth curve, continuous culture, Physico-chemical requirements (pH, temperature and oxidation reduction potential), Physico-chemical requirements (gaseous and nutritional requirements), Bacterial genetics: Mutation and mutagenesis, Transposons, Plasmid in mutation and mutagenesis, Conjugation, Transformation, Transduction, Lysogeny, Introduction to genetic engineering, antibacterials, Introduction to fungi: Molds and yeasts, Growth requirements and mode of replication of molds and yeasts, Isolation and identification of molds and yeasts, Classification of molds and yeasts, Clinical diagnosis of different fungal diseases, antifungal drugs, Fundamental characteristics of viruses (Definition and history of virology), General properties of viruses, viroids and prions, Bacteriophages and its typing, Methods of studying viruses; Purification of viruses and determination of virus size, Virus classification, Virus replication: Adsorption-receptor/ligand, entry mechanisms, uncoating, biosynthesis of virus components, Virus transcription, translation, assembly and release, Replication of RNA and DNA viruses and their comparison analysis, Replication of Retroviruses and defective viruses, Properties of animal viruses at cellular levels (infection of cell with multiple viruses), Recombination , Exaltation, dormancy and reactivation, Interference, Mechanisms of interference, Interferon (Properties, types, mode of action, biological significance, antibodies vs interferon), Haemadsorption and elution, Viral vaccines and factor affecting success/ failure of viral vaccines, Physico-chemical characteristics of viruses, antiviral agents, Methods for isolation and identification of viruses, algae.

 

Practical:

Safety in microbiological laboratory, study of principles and application of laboratory equipment, Microscope and microscopy (bright field; dark field; Phase contrast; fluorescent microscopes, Sterilization (moist heat, dry heat, irradiation, filtration), Disinfectants and their efficacy evaluation (how to calculate phenol coefficient against  a bacteria), Preparation and demonstration of various bacteriological media (general and selective, Differential and Enrichment media. Demonstration of staining techniques (negative, simple and Gram’s staining), Zeihl-Neelsen and spore staining techniques. Methods of bacterial cultivation and growth measurement, Identification of bacterial characteristics (colony, morphology, shape and arrangement), Biochemical tests, Sugar fermentation tests, Micrometry and motility, Antibiotic susceptibility testing, Isolation and identification of common fungi and molds, Purification of viruses (ultracentrifugation; precipitation and ultra-filtration), Cultivation of viruses (animal inoculation, egg inoculation), isolation and enumeration of bacteriophages from sewerage water and calculation of antiviral activity of disinfectants against a virus, Cell culture preparation, Demonstration of cytopathic effects (CPE), Virus identification methods (electron microscopy through simulation and images, serology, precipitation test, virus neutralization test etc.). Virus titration (determination of EID₅₀, LD₅₀ and TCID₅₀), cultivation and identification of algae