M.D. (Microbiology)

Course Syllabus

General Microbiology

• History and Pioneers in Microbiology.
• Microscopy.
• Morphology of bacteria and other microorganisms.
• Nomenclature and classification of microbes.
• Growth and nutrition of bacteria.
• Bacterial metabolism.
• Sterilisation and disinfection.
• Bacterial toxins.
• Bacterial antagonism: Bacteriocine.
• Bacterial genetics.
• Gene cloning
• Antibacterial substances used in the treatment of infections and drug resistance in bacteria.
• Bacterial ecology – Normal flora of human body, Hospital environment, Air, Water and Milk.
• Host parasite relationship.
• Diagnostic tests based on molecular biology
• Organization of clinical Microbiology laboratory and quality control / quality assurance.
• Hospital Waste Management: Organization for Health care waste management (biomedical waste), techniques for treatment and disposal of biomedical waste regulation on biomedical waste management, 1998.

Immunology

• Normal immune system
• Innate immunity
• Antigens
• Immunoglobulins
• Complement
• Antigen-Antibody reactions
• Cell mediated immunity
• Hypersensitivity
• Immunodeficiency
• Auto-immunity
• Immuno tolerance
• Immunology of transplantation
• Tumour immunology
• Prophylaxis and immunotherapy
• Measurement of immunity.
• Immunogenetics.
• Cells of the Immune System
• Immune response

Systematic Bacteriology

• Isolation, description and identification of bacteria.
• Staphylococcus and Micrococcus: The anaerobic gram positive cocci
• Streptococcus and Lactobacillus
• Neisseria, Branhamella & Moraxella
• Corynebacterium and other coryniform organism
• Bacillus: the anaerobic spore bearing bacilli
• Clostridium: The spore bearing anaerobic bacilli
• Enterobacteriaceae
• Vibrios, Aeromonas, Plesiomonas, Campylobacter and Spirillum
• Haemophilus and Bordetella
• Pasteurella and Francisella
• Brucella
• Mycobacteria
• Actinomyces, Nocardia, and Actinobacillus
• Pseudomonas
• Spirochaetes
• Chlamydiae
• Rickettsiae
• The bacteriodaceae: Bacteriodes, Busobacterium and leptotricha
• Mycoplasmatales: Mycoplsama, Ureaplasma, Acholeplasma
• Erysipelothrix and listeria
• Chromobacteruium, Flavobacterium, Acinetobacter and Alkaligens
• Miscellaneous bacteria

Virology

• The nature of viruses
• Classification of viruses
• Morphology, virus structure
• Viral replication
• The genetics of viruses
• Pathogenicity of viruses
• Epidemiology of viral infections
• Vaccines and Anti viral drugs
• Bacteriophages
• Pox viruses
• Herpes viruses
• Vesicular viruses
• Toga viridae
• Flavi viridae
• Arena viridae
• Marburg and Ebola viruses
• Rubella
• Orbi viruses
• Influenzae viruses
• Respiratory diseases: Rhinoviruses, Adenoviruses and Corona viruses
• Paramyxoviridae
• Enteroviruses: Polio & other enteric viruses
• Hepatitis viruses
• Rabies viruses
• Slow Viruses
• Human immunodeficiency viruses
• Oncogenic viruses
• Teratogenic viruses
• Viruses of gastroenteritis
• Bunyaviridae

Parasitology

• Protozoan parasites of medical importance:Entamoeba, Giardia, Trichomonas, Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Plasmodium, Toxoplasma, Sarcocystis, Cryptosporidium, Babesia, Balantidium etc.
• Helminthology: All those medically important helminthes belonging to Cestodes, Trematode and Nematode.
  • Cestode: Diphyllobothrium, Taenia, Echinococus, Hymeonolepis, Dipylidium, Multiceps etc.
  • Termatode: Schistosomea, Fasciola, Gastrodiscoides, Paragonimus, Clonarchis, Opisthorchis, etc.,
  • Namatodes: Trichuria, Trichinella, Strongyloides, Ancylostoma, Ascaris. Enterobius, Filarial worms, Dracunculus, etc.,
  • Ectoparasites: Common arthropods and other vectors.

Mycology

• The morphology and reproduction in fungi and antimycotic agents,
• Classification of fungi,
• Contaminant and opportunistic fungi
• Superficial mycotic infections.
• Fungi causing subcutaneous mycoses
• Fungi causing systemic infections.

Microbiology Applied To Tropical Medicine & Pathology

• Epidemiology of infections diseases
• Hospital acquired infections
• Infections of various organs and systems of human body
• Molecular genetics as applicable to microbiology
• Vaccinology: Principle, methods of preparation, administration of vaccines.
• Bioterrorism
• Emerging and Remerging microbial infections

Skills

Bacteriology

• Preparation and pouring of media – Nutrient agar, Blood agar, Mac Conkey agar, Sugars, Triple sugar iron Agar (TSI) etc.
• Operation and maintenance of autoclave, hot air oven, distillation plant, filters like Seitz and Membrane and sterility tests.
• Washing and sterilization of glassware.
• Preparation of reagents – oxidase, kovac etc.,
• Disposal of contaminated materials.
• Testing of disinfectants – Phenon coefficient and In use test.
• Quality control of media, reagents etc.,
• Aseptic practice in Lab and safety precautions.
• Care and maintenance of common laboratory equipments.
• Preparation of antibiotic discs; performance of Kirby Bauer, Stokes etc.,Estimation of Minimal inhibitory / Bactericidal concentrations by tube / plate dilution methods.
• Tests for a Beta lactamases.
• Collection of specimens for Microbiological investigations.
• Techniques of anaerobiosis.
• Identification of Bacteria of Medical Importance upto species level (except Anaerobes which could be upto generic level)
• Preparation of stains viz, Grams, Alberts, Capsules, spores, Ziehl Neelsen etc., and performing  staining procedure, identification and interpretation
• Care and operation of microscopes viz., light Dark ground, Phase Contrast and Fluorescent microscopes, Electron microscopy.
• Care and breeding of lab animals viz., Mice, Rats, Guinae pigs Rabbits, and also experiments on various laboratory animals.
• Skin tests Mantoux, Lepromin, Casoni’s etc.
• Conjugation experiments
• Serum antibiotic assay
• Phage typing of bacteria
• Enterotoxigenecity
• Sero grouping of streptococci
• Antibiotic susceptibility test for Mycobacteria.

Immunology

• Collection and preservation of serum
• Preparation of antigens
• Preparation of adjuvants and rising of antisera in animals
• Performance of common serological tests
• Immunodiffusion and CIEP
• ELISA
• Radial immuno diffusion
• Immuno electrophoresis
• CD4, CD8 counts

Mycology

• Collection and processing of clinical specimen for fungi,
• Special techniques like Woods lamp examination, hair baiting techniques, slide cultures.
• Stock culture maintenance
• Animal pathogenicity test for Cryptococcus and Candida

Parasitology

• Examination of faeces for ova and cysts: Direct and Concentration methods.
• Egg counting techniques
• Examination of pheripheral blood, urine, CSF, and other fluids for parasites.
• Examination and identification of histopathology slides for parasitic infection,
• Serological tests for parasitic diseases
• Preservation of parasites.
• Examination of faeces for ova, cysts and larvae
• Permanent staining techniques for parasites
• In-vitro culture for parasites, viz., Malarial parasites and Amoeba.
• Maintenance of toxoplasma.
• Fecal culture for diagnosis of Nematode larvae

Virology

• Preparation and identification of CPE in various tissue cultures.
• Serological tests for viral infections
• Chick embryo techniques
• Handling of experimental animals and collection of various samples for evidence of viral infection in animals.
• Laboratory diagnosis of HIV infection and AIDS
• Laboratory diagnosis of Hepatitis
• Prevention and laboratory safety measures.

Methods Of Training

Duration of degree course: 3 Years (6 terms)

The training is given under the following headings:

• Seminars
• Culture seminars & serological tests
• Animal experiments
• Journal clubs
• Symposia
• Teaching – undergraduate students
• Slide seminars
• Preparation of dissertation under the guidance of a recognized teacher
• Postings to other institutions
• Guest lectures

Each candidate is posted to different sections on rotation. They should get acquainted with the basic microbiology for first three months. The next three months they are expected to submit a synopsis on dissertation topic that has been chosen by them.

• Seminars shall be conducted once a week on the theory question topic.
• Culture seminars and discussions are held once a week. Which helps in systematic way of identification of all the routine bacteria for first few months followed by identification of rare cultures.
• Clinical sample seminars are held once a month by processing the clinical samples in identification of microbe causing that condition.
• Animal experiments, egg inoculation are conducted periodically.
• Journal clubs are conducted every week-choosing topics from recent journals.
• Symposia are conducted once in every Semester.
• The candidates are encouraged to take part in Clinical meetings and discussions.

The M.D. Postgraduate students are trained to conduct practical demonstration classes for Undergraduates in their 2nd year of study. They are expected to take theory lectures for Undergraduates during their final year.

• I Schedule of training: Each student shall undergo orientation in various sections in microbiology during the first 3 months so as to get familiarized with the basic knowledge in the subject. At the end of the next 3 months, the student shall have to submit the synopsis of the dissertation.
• II term Culture seminars – pure culture of all bacilli and animal experiments.
• III term Culture seminars on clinical samples like stool, pus etc., and serological tests- Methodology.
• IV term Training in Mycology, Parasitology, UG teaching – theory for smaller batches and
• practicals and demonstrations.
• V term Virology Experiments. UG Teaching – Theory and practicals for smaller batches. Submission of dissertation.
• VI term Slide seminars, Mock examinations.

Posting In Other Departments

Students will be posted for Allied and Applied Departments during the period of III, IV and V terms.

Total period not exceeding 3 months. The departments are:

• Virology & Vaccinology etc., - 1 month
• Clinical Pathology - 1 month
• Clinical Biochemistry - 1 month

The candidates are posted to different institutions for applied Microbiology like Virology, Vaccinology etc.

The students shall maintain a Log Book for the period of his/her postings to other departments Institutions and get the Certificate from the Departmental Head at the end of postings.

Monitoring Learning Progress

Please see Chapter IV

• The Progress of the student is monitored by conducting periodical assessment tests
• The Student shall maintain a Log Book and assessment records (specimen Check list are given in Chapter IV) are maintained by the Guide/s and Head of the Department.

Dissertation

• The topic selected for Dissertation shall be on the applied aspects of Microbiology
• The Synopsis should be submitted at the end of the first six month of course, as notified by the University.
• For details, please see sl. No. 9, chapter – 1.
• The dissertation shall be submitted six months prior to final university examination on the date notified by the University to the Registrar (Evaluation).
• Acceptance of dissertation is an essential precondition for appearing in the final examination.

Note : Syllabus presented on this page is Indicative and for General Information only. Visitors are advised to contact the respective Institutes for any query regarding the Syllabus.