cookieImage
2026-2027 / MICR0330-4

Medical microbiology

Duration

25h Th, 10h Pr, 7h SI

Number of credits

 Bachelor in biomedicine3 crédits 

Lecturer

Marie-Pierre Hayette

Language(s) of instruction

French language

Organisation and examination

Teaching in the second semester

Schedule

Schedule online

Units courses prerequisite and corequisite

Prerequisite or corequisite units are presented within each program

Learning unit contents

This course follows the General Microbiology course taught in Block 2 and consists of:

  • a first part on medical microbiology;
  • a second part on specialised microbiology;
  • practical sessions, tutorial sessions, and an oral presentation prepared by the students.
The medical microbiology section covers the main infectious diseases encountered in clinical practice. The specialised microbiology section introduces modern techniques used to identify and study microorganisms.

Students also work in groups of 3 to 5 to conduct a literature review on a microbiology topic and present a summary of their findings in an oral presentation. This presentation accounts for 20% of the final grade.

Note: Viral infections are not covered in this course, as they are addressed in the Medical Virology course taught by Prof. Nathalie Jacobs.

Theoretical Course Content

Part I. Clinical Microbiology

  • Introduction to the course and group work
  • Introduction to the microbiology laboratory
  • Zoonoses: 1. Lyme disease; 2. Alveolar and cystic echinococcosis
  • Urinary tract infections
  • Bacterial sexually transmitted infections: Chlamydia, gonorrhoea and syphilis
  • Mother-to-child infection: toxoplasmosis
  • Upper respiratory tract infections
  • Lower respiratory tract infections
  • Pertussis and tuberculosis
This section is illustrated by three practical sessions (TP1 to TP3).

Part II. Specialised Microbiology

Study of the main techniques used in microbiological diagnosis and research:

  • Bacterial and fungal culture
  • Mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)
  • Molecular biology in microbiology
  • Infectious disease serology
This section is complemented by one tutorial session (TP4) focusing in particular on:

  • molecular detection of bacterial resistance;
  • hepatitis C virus typing;
  • typing of filamentous fungi responsible for dermatomycoses.
Part III. Oral Presentation

In groups of 3 to 5, students prepare and give an oral presentation on a microbiology topic, comparing the advantages and limitations of different methods used for the diagnosis or study of microorganisms.

The topic must be approved by Rosalie Sacheli, PhD, who also provides guidance to the students throughout the preparation of their presentation.

Learning outcomes of the learning unit

Medical Microbiology

Students should be able to:

  • identify the main agents responsible for infectious diseases;
  • describe their epidemiology, pathogenesis and modes of transmission;
  • explain the main diagnostic methods used to identify infectious agents;
  • identify the main classes of antimicrobial agents used in the treatment of infectious diseases.

Specialised Microbiology

Students should be able to:

  • describe and understand the main microbiological techniques used for diagnosis and research.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

  • General Microbiology (Block 2)
  • General Immunology (Block 2)

Planned learning activities and teaching methods

The course includes:

  • lectures;
  • podcasts;
  • flipped classroom sessions;
  • practical sessions;
  • tutorial sessions.
Practical Sessions

The practical sessions are organised as thematic workshops illustrating concepts covered in the course through:

  • diagnostic testing;
  • microscopic observations;
  • macroscopic observation of bacterial and fungal cultures and parasites.
Before the first session, students are invited to watch the introductory video available at the following link:

https://vimeo.com/67284183?fl=pl&fe=sh

Attendance at the practical sessions is mandatory.

Knowledge acquired during the practical sessions is assessed through multiple-choice questions included in the written examination.

Tutorial Sessions

Students work in groups of three to five to prepare and give a presentation on a microbiology-related topic. This work enables them to:

  • develop teamwork skills;
  • conduct a literature review, including scientific literature in English;
  • analyse and summarise scientific data;
  • give an oral presentation to their peers.

Mode of delivery (face to face, distance learning, hybrid learning)

Blended learning


Further information:

Combination of in-person learning activities and podcasts.

Course materials and recommended or required readings

Platform(s) used for course materials:
- eCampus


Further information:

  • Medical Microbiology - MIMS Contributors, Mosby Europe, 4th edition, 2019.
  • Principles of Molecular Biology in Microbiology - N. Amezane, M. Bogard, J. Lamoril, Elsevier, 2006.
  • Various scientific articles presented during the course.

Exam(s) in session

Any session

- In-person

written exam ( multiple-choice questionnaire )


Further information:

All Examination Sessions

  • Written assessment in the form of multiple-choice questions (MCQs), scored using the For Guessing correction method.
Additional Information

The final grade is based on:

  • the theoretical course, including TP4: 60% of the final grade;
  • practical sessions TP1 to TP3: 10% of the final grade;
  • the practical report: 10% of the final grade;
  • the oral presentation: 20% of the final grade.
An unjustified absence from a practical session or from the oral presentation will result in an absence grade for the entire MICR0330 course unit.

Absences

  • an unjustified absence from a practical session results in a score of zero for the practical report, corresponding to 10% of the final grade;
  • an absence justified by a medical certificate does not result in any penalty. In such cases, the weighting of the different assessment components may be adapted depending on the circumstances;
  • failure to submit the practical report is considered equivalent to an unjustified absence.
Grades obtained for the practical sessions may only be carried over within the same academic year.

Work placement(s)

Organisational remarks and main changes to the course

Contacts

Academic Coordinator of the Course Unit

Prof. Marie-Pierre Hayette
Clinical Microbiology Department - CHU de Liège
mphayette@uliege.be

Coordinator of Practical Sessions

Mr Khalid El Moussaoui, University Assistant
Clinical Microbiology Department - CHU de Liège
kelmoussaoui@chuliege.be

Coordinator of Tutorial Sessions

Rosalie Sacheli
Clinical Microbiology Department - CHU de Liège
r.sacheli@chuliege.be
+32 (0)4 323 22 98

Secretariat

Stéphanie Wauquier
+32 (0)4 323 22 90
stephanie.wauquier@chuliege.be

Clinical Microbiology Department - CHU de Liège
Tower 6 - Route 656
4000 Liège - Belgium

Association of one or more MOOCs