The course aims to provide the student with the tools necessary to understand the main alterations of the immune response that can be responsible for potentially fatal pathological conditions: specifically, the student will know the main primary and secondary immunodeficiencies, hypersensitivity reactions and the underlying clinical conditions, the role of the immune system in transplant rejection. At the end of the course, the student will be able 1) to suspect diseases caused by congenital or acquired deficiencies of the immune system or by inappropriate immune responses to exogenous or endogenous stimuli, 2) to diagnose them using all the most appropriate and innovative biohumoral and imaging tools, 3) to suggest the most suitable therapeutic path.
Course Prerequisites
Knowledge of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Immunology, and Pathology is required.
Teaching Methods
Teaching sessions supported by slides that are shared with the students.
Assessment Methods
The Clinical Immunology exam is taken together with the Rheumatology exam, through an oral interview. The teacher/examiner asks questions on the contents of both courses. The exam is aimed at ascertaining not only the knowledge of the different diseases but also the differential diagnostic ability and the therapeutic approach to the single diseases. The evaluation will also take into account the ability to communicate and use appropriate scientific language. The final grade expresses the overall evaluation of the two modules and represents the grade of the IC of Immune System Diseases and Rheumatology. Separate registration and passing of the two modules (Clinical Immunology and Rheumatology) that make up the Integrated Course of Immune System Diseases and Rheumatology are not permitted.
Texts
Harrison: Principi di medicina interna. Eds Mc-Graw Hill Companies.
Contents
Etiology and pathophysiology of hypersensitivity reactions of types I, II, III and IV, based on the classification of Gell and Coombs, and related clinical pictures. Classification and classification of primary and secondary immunodeficiencies according to the most recent guidelines. Diseases covered in detail: antiphospholipid syndrome, autoimmune hepatitis, anaphylaxis and anaphylactic shock, contact dermatitis, maternal-fetal erythroblastosis, GVHD, Bruton's disease, Wiskott-Aldrich syndrome, Chediak-Higashi syndrome. Among incompatibility reactions, vasculitis will be discussed in the Rheumatology course.
Course Language
Italian
More information
More information is available from the teacher responsible for the course. Email: patrizia.noris@unipv.it
