Domestic and farm animals are exposed to a large number of pathogens. In the focus "Recognizing, Understanding and Fighting of Selected Infectious Diseases" different immune defense mechanisms as well as possibilities and limits of bacteriological, mycological, parasitological and virological diagnostics are discussed. In addition to lectures, the "Interdisciplinary Diagnostic Course", designed as a practical exercise, is a central component of the Focus.

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In the Interdisciplinary Diagnostic Course students investigate veterinary disease cases using a variety of diagnostic methods. Photo: Mareike Pendzialek

Topics of Lectures

The Focus " Recognizing, Understanding and Fighting of Selected Infectious Diseases " is an interdisciplinary event of the Centre for Infectious Diseases, in which the Institute of Virology, the Institute of Immunology and the Institute of Parasitology are involved. The teaching contents are assigned to the respective institutes.

5th semester

  • Introduction as well as possibilities and limits of bacteriological cultural diagnostics
  • Antibiotic resistance
  • Antimicrobial sensitivity testing
  • Indirect serological detection of pathogens
  • Molecular biological pathogen detection in bacteriology and mycology

6th semester

Lecture

  • Immun evasion mechanisms of facultative and obligatory intracellular pathogens
  • Bacterial interactions with the extracellular matrix
  • Bartonella and haemotrophic mycoplasma
  • Dermatophytoses
  • Natural focus infections including diagnosis of leptospirosis and borreliosis

Excercise

  • Microbiological exercises

5th semester

  • Methods of humoral and cellular immunity

6th semester

  • Vaccination guidelines for ruminants and pigs
  • Colostral immunity, protective vaccination for dams

5th semester

  • Possibilities and limits of parasitological diagnostics

6th semester

  • Survival of parasites in host and environment
  • Basics of parasite control
  • Parasitoses of selected animal species (domestic animals, game, New World camelids, reptiles, amphibians)
  • Antihelmintic resistance
  • Vaccine against parasites
  • Alternative parasite control

5th semester

  • Methods of virus quantification and properties of diagnostic test systems
  • Methods for growing and isolating viruses
  • Sampling and transport / possibilities and limits of electron microscopy

6th semester

  • Viruses and tumors
  • Persistent virus infections
  • Virus reservoirs and "Emerging Viruses"
  • Viral zoonoses and food-borne viral infections
  • Antiviral therapy

You can...

  • divide all pathogens discussed into three groups: extracellular, optional intracellular and obligatory intracellular.
  • name the taxonomic assignments discussed for a pathogen.
  • explain the function of defined virulence factors for selected pathogens.
  • explain defined immune evasion mechanisms and derive connections with the clinic, pathology and prophylaxis.
  • explain intracellular development cycles of selected pathogens and derive correlations with clinic, pathology and prophylaxis.
  • explain the indication, efficacy, possible consequences and limits of an antimicrobial therapy for an infectious disease.
  • name and explain different methods of in vitro resistance testing of bacteria.
  • name different forms of antibiotic resistance.
  • explain different mechanisms of antibiotic resistance.
  • explain mechanisms of the spread of antibiotic resistance.
  • give examples of multidrug resistance and explain its importance for veterinary and veterinary medicine.
  • make an appropriate statement in a discussion on the relationship between the use of antibiotics in veterinary medicine and the spread of antibiotic resistance in human pathogens.

Interdisciplinary Diagnostic Course

The Interdisciplinary Diagnostic Course is intended to clarify the important connection between different etiologies and to give students an overview of the diagnostic portfolio. The central element are four interdisciplinary diagnostic courses for the etiological clarification of four cases of illness such as: Respiratory disease of a bitch, calf diarrhoea, sheep abortion and dermatitis in dogs.

The examinations in the course are largely based on the practical exercises in the individual disciplines and represent an important repetition of these exercises in preparation for the exams. In preparation for the course, it is useful to refresh your knowledge of the various pathogens in the organ systems and animal species mentioned. The course "Abort Sheep" forms a bridge to the courses in the focus genital tract, especially in bacteriology.

For the course, the rules on infection protection and biological safety discussed in the Specific Bacteriology and Mycology course apply. In the course, the lab coat should be worn in the course room (not in the lecture hall!).

  • Two students each receive a detailed preliminary report with a diagnostic question at the beginning of the course.
  • In a parcours in the course room, examination findings will be collected at the stations of parasitology, virology, bacteriology, mycology and immunology.
  • At each station, the findings are to be documented, interpreted and a corresponding diagnosis made.
  • You will then formulate an epicrisis explaining the significance of the diagnoses for the clinical picture described in the preliminary report and linking the diagnoses from the various disciplines.
  • You will also develop and present solutions to the problems described.

You can...

  • perform and interpret defined rapid tests (oxidase, catalase, rapid slide agglutination) for further differentiation of a culture.
  • explain a molecular biological pathogen identification and differentiation.
  • derive a diagnosis and a suspicious diagnosis on the basis of the findings of the microbiological examination.
  • interpret a bacteriological and mycological diagnosis or a suspected diagnosis in conjunction with the preliminary report (etiological assessment).
  • recognise defined culture media, explain and apply their differentiation function.
  • explain the diagnostic significance of enrichment media.
  • explain the function and applications of Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) including real time PCR.
  • perform an agar diffusion test for in vitro resistance testing and derive the results.
  • make a targeted selection from a portfolio of diagnostic measures for the etiological clarification of a given case.
  • evaluate bacteriological, mycological, virological, parasitological and immunological diagnoses for a specific case in context.

Exam

In the subject bacteriology the contents of the course "Abort Sheep" as well as the lectures in the focus genital tract are contents of the examination material of the multiple choice examination in the focus genital tract as well as the practical and oral examination.

Further focus events with the participation of the institute

  • Focus Recognizing, Understanding and Fighting of Selected Infectious Diseases
  • Focus Recognizing, Understanding and Fighting of Selected Infectious Diseases
  • Focus Digestion
  • Focus Respiratory tract
  • Focus Genital tract
  • Focus Inventory Management
  • Focus Poultry Diseases

Further Courses

Specific Bacteriology and Mycology

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Paraclinical Track

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Project Works

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