Clinical microbiology case study questions

Microbiology Case Study

How to create a case study

The case studies are meant to be an enjoyable, interesting, and informative assignment. This is your chance to show that you understand the key teaching points about a microbe and to communicate these points to in a written format. Have at least 3-4 key referenced points in each of the five areas. The chart below suggests the type of information requested for the pathogen. Outlines can be in whatever form you prefer (bullets/charts/outlines/diagrams or a mix). Be sure to include two discussion questions (and provide complete answers) that you can incorporate into your case study (place them at the end of your write-up). These questions should help connect your case to other material in the course. For example, what other microbes have an A-B toxin? What other viruses are transmitted by fecal-oral spread? Pertinent references can be listed at the bottom of your outline in a small font. Use Council of Science Editors (CSE) Style format for all references. Your textbook may be listed as “Microbiology: A Human Perspective Eugene W. Nester et.al. McGraw-Hill Publisher 7th edition/ 2012”.

Typical Case

What does a typical case look like? Use the standard format for a patient presentation with chief complaint (CC), history of present illness (HPI), key physical exam details (PE), lab findings, signature signs, and any other important findings.

Description of the infectious agent

If it is a bacterium, how is it classified? If it is a virus, what kind of nucleic acid does it have? Does it target specific cellular types (tropism)? Does it form a spore? Is it aerobic? Is it intracellular? Can it only be grown in a specific type of media? How is it distinguished from other members of the species? Does the pathogen have a significant history with humans or animals?

Epidemiology

What do you feel are the most important points about the epidemiology of the disease? Incidence? Portal of entry? Source? Is it a normal microbiota component in the human body? Does it only occur in certain populations or certain geographical areas? Is there a vector involved? What and who is the vector? Is it zoonotic? Does it appear seasonally? Are there currently any outbreaks of this pathogen? What is its ecological niche? Is there a reservoir? Are there currently any outbreaks or epidemics of disease from this pathogen?

Pathogenesis

What is the range of diseases caused by the agent? What organs are affected? What symptoms might the patient have? What is the disease course? Will the patient recover? Are there any long-term sequelae of infection? Latency?

Prophylaxis/Treatment

Is there an antitoxin? Specific antibiotics or a class of antibiotics that are used? Is there a vaccine available? Is treatment curative? Does infection make you immune? Is this immunity life-long? Is there drug resistance? Are there novel treatments?

Addenda

The written case presentations are submitted through Blackboard in Unit 5 of the course. When you reach Unit 5, be sure to e-mail your instructor to receive a list of the Case Study selections.
Please name the files in the following manner “Lastname Firstinitial CS Y”. For example, if I am submitting a Case Study on tularemia, I would name the case study file “Frisardi M CS tularemia”.
For the Case Study, you are asked to provide at least the information requested in the boxes. The boxed questions are suggestions for the minimum amount of information within each category. The more detailed the information, the better the study. You may consult your textbook, CDC, Google Scholar, NCBI, WebMD, etc. to find the information. For example, if you perform a Google search using the name of the pathogen and the word ‘vaccine’, you will find information on current vaccines (if any), those in clinical trials, vaccines used only in animals, etc. Be sure to provide two (2) discussion questions (as well as provide answers) with your case study.
Be sure to consider the directions carefully and include all the requested information (especially the two discussion questions with responses and scientific literature references).

Discussion questions you may choose from, choose 2:

CASE STUDY RUBRIC MICROBIOLOGY

For the Case Study assignment the current pathogen selections may be requested by sending an email to your instructor! Assigned Case Study Problem: You will create a case study for a microbial infection selected from the current pathogen list. Your case study will be assembled using a detailed rubric (see below). Upon completion, you will submit your case study to the Blackboard gradebook in Unit 5 and to SafeAssign. How to create a case study The case studies are meant to be an enjoyable, interesting, and informative assignment. This is your chance to show that you understand the key teaching points about a microbe and to communicate these points in a written format. What information belongs in my case study? Have at least 3-4 key referenced points in each of the five areas shown in the Case Study Information Chart (see below). The left-hand heading in the chart suggests the type of information requested for the pathogen. Outlines can be in whatever form you prefer (bullets/charts/outlines/diagrams or a mix). Be sure to include two discussion questions (and provide complete answers) that you can incorporate into your case study (place them at the end of your write-up). These questions should help connect your case to other material in the course. For example, what other microbes have an A-B toxin? What other viruses are transmitted by fecal-oral spread? How much information should I provide for my case study? For the Case Study, you are asked to provide at least the information requested in the chart below. The boxed questions are suggestions for the minimum amount of information within each category. The more detailed the information, the better the study. You may consult your textbook, CDC, WHO, Access Medicine, Google Scholar, NCBI, WebMD, etc. to find the information. For example, if you perform a Google search using the name of the pathogen and the word ‘vaccine’, you will find information on current vaccines (if any), those in clinical trials, vaccines used only in animals, etc.

Case Study Information Chart Typical Case What does a typical case look like? Use the standard format for a

patient presentation with chief complaint (CC), history of present illness (HPI), key physical exam details (PE), lab findings, signature signs, and any other important findings.

Description of the infectious agent

If it is a bacterium, how is it classified? If it is a virus, what kind of nucleic acid does it have? Does it target specific cellular types (tropism)? Does it form a spore? Is it aerobic? Is it intracellular? Can it only be grown in a specific type of media? How is it distinguished from other members of the species? Does the pathogen have a significant history with humans or animals?

Epidemiology What do you feel are the most important points about the epidemiology of the disease? Incidence? Portal of entry? Source? Is it a normal microbiota component in the human body? Does it only occur in certain populations or certain geographical areas? Is there a vector involved? What and who is the vector? Is it zoonotic? Does it appear

CASE STUDY RUBRIC MICROBIOLOGY

seasonally? Are there currently any outbreaks of this pathogen? What is its ecological niche? Is there a reservoir? Are there currently any outbreaks or epidemics of disease from this pathogen?

Pathogenesis What is the range of diseases caused by the agent? What organs are affected? What symptoms might the patient have? What is the disease course? Will the patient recover? Are there any long-term sequelae of infection? Latency?

Prophylaxis/Treatment Is there an antitoxin? Specific antibiotics or a class of antibiotics that are used? Is there a vaccine available? Is treatment curative? Does infection make you immune? Is this immunity life-long? Is there drug resistance? Are there novel treatments?

Discussion Questions With Responses

Two (2) discussion questions with responses and scientific literature references are required to complete the Case Study; These questions should help connect your case to other material in the course. For example, what other microbes have an A-B toxin? What other viruses are transmitted by fecal-oral spread? Is this pathogen a candidate for use as a biological weapon?

How should I format my references for my case study? You will need references for all factual information in your case study. Pertinent references can be listed at the bottom of your outline in a small font. Your references must include at least two current peer- reviewed publications from the scientific literature post-2010. Use APA Sixth Edition Style format for all references (a PDF document is provided with the case study directions). For example, your text book in-text citation would look like this (Anderson, Salm, & Allen, 2016) and your textbook would be shown on your reference page as:

Anderson, D., Salm, S., & Allen, D. (2016). Microbiology: A Human Perspective. New York: McGraw-Hill.

Addenda 1. The written case presentations are submitted through Blackboard in Unit 5 of the course. When you reach Unit 5, be sure to e-mail your instructor to receive a list of the Case Study selections. 2. Please name the files in the following manner “LastnameFirstinitial CS Y”. For example, if I am submitting a Case Study on tularemia, I would name the case study file “Frisardi M CS tularemia”. This will ensure that you receive appropriate credit and that I will be able to find your Case Study document easily when grading.

Be sure to provide the two (2) required discussion questions (as well as provide answers) with your case study. 3. Your library privileges from UNE give you access to all of the scientific literature so you are able to find references, abstracts, and complete articles in most cases. Your library privileges from UNE also give you access to the medical textbooks. Do this:

 Go to the UNE library page here: http://www.une.edu/library/e-resources

 Click on the “Databases by Title” under UNE Online Resources (the page will be here:

http://www.une.edu/library/e-resources/databases-title )

http://www.une.edu/library/e-resources
http://www.une.edu/library/e-resources/databases-title
CASE STUDY RUBRIC MICROBIOLOGY

 Scroll down to the Database “AccessMedicine” and click on it.

 You will see a log-in page and you may use your UNE e-mail log-in information.

 You should be seeing the AccessMedicine Search bar in the middle of the page. Type in your

Case Study pathogen and get started.

4. Finally, use Google Scholar. Make a noun string of your pathogen’s Latin name and a qualifying term like “vaccines” or “virulence factors”. The site is: http://scholar.google.com/ Be sure to consider the directions carefully and include all the requested information (especially the two discussion questions with responses and your scientific literature references). By the time you provide all information for your pathogen (including any figures, illustrations, maps) the case study will be several pages in length. Use APA format (or any format you are used to), in-text citations, and a reference list at the end.

So: • Read the rubric carefully, provide all information, discussion questions/responses, and

references in APA format. • Submit to SafeAssign to check that you have referenced everything and avoid any

inadvertent plagiarism, then

Remember that the Case Study is a teaching tool and you are, essentially, teaching me about the pathogen you selected.

http://scholar.google.com/