Official Course Description: MCCCD Approval: 11/28/95
MSP203 19962-99999	LEC	3 Credit(s)	3 Period(s)
Microbiology for Funeral Service
Survey of the microbiological world as it pertains to the funeral service profession. Knowledge of those organisms that can cause death and safety precautions. Prerequisites: Admission to the Mortuary Science Program.

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MCCCD Official Course Competencies:
MSP203   19962-99999	Microbiology for Funeral Service

1.	Explain the methods of transmission of important infectious diseases and describe the control procedure of these diseases with special emphasis on protection to the embalmer, the funeral director and the public. (I-XV)
2.	Differentiate between the beneficial microorganisms and the actual pathogens or opportunists causing disease commonly associate with the human host and dead human remains. (I-XV)
3.	Describe host parasite relationships and interactions, and the requirements for successful parasitism. (I-XV)
4.	Describe the fundamentals of the infectious process and of protection from disease through immunology. (V)
5.	Explain host defense mechanisms through a general understanding of natural and acquired immunity. (VI)
6.	Explain basic bacterial and fungal morphology and physiology. (VII, VIII, IX, X, XI)
7.	Describe and practice personal and environmental disinfection and decontamination procedures by proper use of important chemical disinfectants and sterilization procedures. (XV)

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MCCCD Official Course Outline:
MSP203   19962-99999	Microbiology for Funeral Service

I. Fundamental Concepts of Microbiology A. Definition of microbiology B. Definition of microorganisms C. Divisions of microbiology 1. Protozoology 2. Mycology 3. Bacteriology 4. Rickettstology 5. Virology D. Microorganisms of major health importance 1. Protozoa 2. Fungi a. Yeasts b. Molds 3. Bacteria 4. Mycoplasmas 5. Rickettsia 6. Chlamydias 7. Viruses II. Anatomy of Bacteria A. Morphology of bacteria 1. Size in micrometers 2. Shape (coccus, bacillus, spiral) 3. Arrangements a. Cocci (1). Diplococci (2). Staphylococci (3). Streptococci b. Bacilli B. Structure and function of bacteria 1. Cell wall 2. Cell membrane 3. Cytoplasm 4. Capsule 5. Endospore a. Distinction between sporulating and vegetative bacteria b. Importance to the embalmer 6. Flagella 7. Pili III. Physiology of Bacteria A. Bacterial typical reproduction: binary fission simple transverse division B. Bacterial colony C. Conditions affecting bacterial growth 1. Food requirements a. Autotrophic bacteria b. Heterotrophic bacteria (1). Strict (obligate) saprophytes (2). Strict (obligate) parasites (3). Facultative bacteria 2. Oxygen requirements a. Strict (obligate) aerobes b. Strict (obligate) anaerobes c. Microaerophilic d. Faculative bacteria 3. Moisture (water) requirements 4. Temperature requirements a. Minimum temperature b. Maximum temperature c. Optimum temperature d. Classification of bacteria in relation to temperature (1). Psychrophiles (2). Mesophiles (3). Thermophiles 5. pH 6. Effect of light on bacterial growth 7. Osmotic pressure and relationship to plasmolysis and plasmoptysis 8. Bacterial associations D. Enzymes IV. Control of Microorganisms A. Types of control 1. Sterilization 2. Disinfection (concurrent and terminal) 3. Antisepsis (bacteriostasis) 4. Germicide a. Bactericide b. Fungicide c. Viricide 5. Insecticide 6. Fumigation B. Methods of control 1. Mechanical (scrubbing) 2. Physical a. Heat (1). Incineration (2). Dry heat (3). Moist heat (a). Boiling (b). Steam under pressure b. Cold (bacteriostatic) c. Ultraviolet light 3. Chemical a. Disinfectant (1). Nature of the disinfectant (2). Concentration of the disinfectant (3). Nature of the material to be disinfected (4). Number and kind of microorganisms present (5). Time, temperature, and pH of exposure to the disinfectant b. Phenol coefficient c. Disinfectants suitable for mortuary procedures (1). Halogens (a). Hypochlorites (bleaches) (b). Iodophores (2). Alcohols (a). Ethyl (b). Isopropyl (3). Aldehydes (a). Formalin: Formaldehyde solution (b). Glutaraldehyde (4). Phenolic compounds (a). Phenol (carbolic acid) (b). Cresols: Lysol (c). Hexachlorophene (5). Quaternary ammonium compounds: Benzalkonium chloride V. Microorganisms and Disease A. Terminology 1. Disease 2. Infection vs. contamination 3. Pathogenic organisms a. True pathogens b. Opportunists 4. Infestation 5. Pathogenicity 6. Virulence vs. attenuation 7. Elective localization (tissue affinity) 8. Normal flora B. Types of infections 1. Exogenous and endogenous infections 2. Acute and chronic infections 3. Communicable and non-communicable diseases a. Incidence of communicable infections (1). Endemic (2). Epidemic (3). Pandemic (4). Sporadic b. Non-communicable infections 4. Primary and secondary infections 5. Mixed infections 6. Local, general, and focal infections 7. Bacteremia, septicemia, toxemia 8. Terminal infections C. Mechanisms of pathogenicity 1. Toxins a. Exotoxins b. Endotoxins 2. Enzyme production: hyaluronidase, coagulase, or fibrinolysin 3. Capsules D. Sources of infection 1. Animals or persons ill with the infections 2. Animal or human carriers a. Passive carriers b. Active carriers c. Convalescent carriers E. Modes of transmission of infections 1. Direct transmission a. Physical contact b. Droplet infection (aerosol) c. Congenital 2. Indirect transmission a. Food b. Milk c. Water d. Fomites e. Soil 3. Insect vectors a. Biological b. Mechanical F. Portals of entry and exit of the pathogens 1. Skin and mucous membranes 2. Respiratory tract 3. Digestive tract 4. Genito-urinary tract 5. Placenta G. Vehicles of exit of the pathogens 1. Feces and urine 2. Discharges from urinary and reproductive tracts 3. Discharges from the respiratory tract 4. Saliva 5. Blood 6. Pus and lesion exudates 7. Biological vectors H. Factors influencing the occurrence of an infection 1. Portal of entry of the pathogens 2. Number of organisms 3. Virulence of the organisms 4. Resistance of the host I. Defenses of the body against infection 1. Mechanical defenses: skin and mucous membranes 2. Physiological defenses a. Inflammation b. Fever c. Phagocytosis 3. Chemical defenses a. Body secretions (1). Lysozyme (2). Gastric juice b. Antibodies c. Interferon VI. Immunology A. Antigens B. Antibodies C. Characteristics of antigen-antibody reactions D. Kinds of immunity 1. Natural (innate) immunity 2. Acquired immunity a. Naturally acquired (1). Active (2). Passive b. Artificially acquired (1). Active (2). Passive VII. Specific Bacteria and Infections A. Staphylococcus aureus 1. Pathogenicity a. Skin abscesses b. Food poisoning c. Secondary infections d. Nosocomial infections e. Toxic shock syndrome 2. Portals of entry and exit 3. Modes of transmission B. Streptococcus pyogenes 1. Pathogenicity a. Scarlet fever b. Septic sore throat (streptococcal sore throat) c. Puerperal sepsis d. Rheumatic fever 2. Portals of entry and exit 3. Modes of transmission C. Streptococcus pneumonia (pneoumococcus) 1. Pathogenicity a. Lobar pneumonia b. Meningitis c. Otitis media 2. Characteristics of the organisms (importance of capsule formation) 3. Portals of entry and exit 4. Modes of transmission D. Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococcus) 1. Pathogenicity a. Gonorrhea b. Ophthalmia neonatorum 2. Role of pili in virulence 3. Portals of entry and exit 4. Modes of transmission E. Neisseria meningitidis (meningococcus) 1. Pathogenicity a. Epidemic meningitis b. Meningococcemia 2. Portals or entry and exit 3. Modes of transmission F. Clostridium tetani (tetanus/lockjaw) 1. Pathogenicity 2. Characteristics of the organisms a. Endospores b. Exotoxin 3. Portals of entry 4. Modes of transmission G. Clostridium perfringens 1. Pathogenicity a. Gas gangrene b. Tissue gas c. Food intoxication 2. Characteristics of the organisms a. Endospores b. Exotoxins and enzymes 3. Portals of entry 4. Modes of transmission H. Corynebacterium diphtheriae (diptheria) 1. Pathogenicity 2. Characteristics of the organisms a. Exotixin b. Localization in the pharynx (pseudomembrane formation) 3. Portals of entry and exit 4. Modes of transmission I. Salmonella species (salmonellosis) 1. Pathogenicity 2. Portals of entry and exit 3. Modes of transmission J. Francisella tularensis (tularemia) 1. Pathogenicity 2. Portals of entry and exit 3. Modes of transmission K. Mycobacterium tuberculosis 1. Pathogenicity 2. Characteristics of the organisms 3. Portals of entry and exit 4. Modes of transmission L. Treponema pallidum (syphilis) 1. Pathogenicity 2. Portals of entry and exit 3. Modes of transmission M. Other bacteria and diseases 1. Vibrio cholerae: asiatic cholera 2. Yersinia pestis: plague 3. Klebsiella pneumoniae: lobar pneumonia and urinary infection 4. Clostridium botulinum: botulism 5. Bacillus anthracis: anthrax 6. Hemophilus influenzae: influenzal meningitis 7. Proteus sp.: secondary infections of burns 8. Pseudomonas sp.: secondary infections of burns 9. Shigella sp.: bacillary dysentery VIII. Mycoplasma Pneumoniae: Primary Atypical Pneumonia IX. Rickettsia A. Definition B. General characteristics 1. Typhus fevers a. Etiologic agent b. Modes of transmission 2. Rocky Mountain spotted fever a. Etiologic agent b. Mode of transmission 3. Q fever a. Etiologic agent b. Mode of transmission X. Chlamydia A. Definition B. Important diseases 1. Psittacosis: parrot fever 2. Lymphogranuloma venereum 3. Trachoma 4. NGU (non-gonococcal urethritis) or NSU (non-specific urethritis) XI. Viruses A. Definition B. Important viral diseases 1. Dermatropic (skin) diseases a. Smallpox: variola (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission b. Measles: rubeola (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission c. German measles: rubella (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission d. Chickenpox: varicella zoster (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission e. Shingles: varicella zoster (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission f. Herpes simplex I and II (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission g. AIDS HIV III and IV (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission h. Creuzfeldt Jakob (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission 2. Pneumotropic (upper respiratory tract) diseases a. Influenza (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission b. Common cold (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission 3. Neurotropic (central nervous system) diseases a. Rabies (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission b. Poliomyelitis (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission c. Viral encephalitis (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission 4. Viscerotropic (visceral) diseases a. Hepatitis: A (infectious) and B (serum) (1). Portals of entry and exit (2). Modes of transmission b. Infectious mononucleosis c. Cytomegalovirus 5. Adenotropic (gland diseases): epidemic parotitis, mumps a. Portals of entry and exit b. Modes of transmission XII. Pathogenic Fungi A. Yeasts and molds B. Important disease groups 1. Dermatomycosis 2. Coccidioidomycosis 3. Histoplasmosis 4. Candidiasis 5. Cryptococcosis XIII. Pathogenic Protozoa A. Definition of protozoa B. Important pathogenic protozoa 1. Entamoeba histolytica: amoebiasis (amebic dysentery) 2. Giardia lamblia: Giardiasis 3. Plasmodium malariae: malaria 4. Penumocystis carinii: pneumocystis pneumonia XIV. Parasitic Worms A. Tapeworm: beef and cattle B. Trichinosis: swine and bears XV. Control of Diseases Constituting a Significant Health Hazard to the Emblamer and the Public A. Diseases 1. Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) 2. Hepatitis 3. Herpes 4. Tuberculosis 5. Meningitis (epidemic, meningococcal) 6. Creutzfeldt-Jakob Syndrome 7. Septicemias 8. CMV (Cytomegalovirus) B. Personal protection advised by center for disease control guidelines and OSHA 1. Identification hazardous bodies should remain with the body as apart of postmortem care 2. Personnel should wear double gloves, mask, protective eyewear, gown, waterproof apron, and waterproof shoe covering 3. Contaminated instruments, and surfaces should be decontaminated or handled as potentially infective items 4. Morticians should prevent exposure of all body surfaces to all contaminated body fluids C. Concurrent prophylactic vaccination and susceptibility testing of mortuary personnel

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