Revised 08/2025

MDL 251 - Clinical Microbiology (3 CR.)

Course Description

Teaches handling, isolation, and identification of pathogenic microorganisms. Emphasizes clinical techniques of bacteriology and mycology, parasitology and virology. Lecture 2 hours. Laboratory 3 hours. Total 5 hours per week.

General Course Purpose

To provide the theory and skills necessary for the handling and identification of medically important bacteria and fungi. Basic principles learned in MDL 130 will be related to procedures performed in the isolation and identification of pathogens.

Course Prerequisites/Corequisites

Prerequisite: Completion of MDL 130 with a minimum grade of “C” or program director approval. Students should be enrolled in the second year of the Medical Laboratory Technology AAS degree program and. Completion of the first year core courses with a grade of “C” or better is required.

Course Objectives

Upon completing the course, the student will be able to:

  • Select the appropriate types of media required for culturing routine clinical
  • Perform gram stains on isolated colonies and describe colonial morphology and microscopic
  • Perform routine biochemical, immunologic and molecular identification
  • Describe methods for determining antibiotic susceptibility of
  • Identify human pathogenic bacteria by means of their cultural characteristics and biochemical
  • Define basic mycology terms and perform routine mycology
  • Discuss the identification and significance of the major superficial, cutaneous, subcutaneous, and systemic fungi pathogenic to humans.
  • Associate human pathogenic microorganisms with the diseases for which they are
  • Effectively communicate processes, procedures and results in a multicultural
  • Discuss basic concepts and techniques used in molecular diagnostics.

Major Topics to Be Included

  • Selection of appropriate media required for culturing routine clinical
  • Performance and examination of stained slides from clinical specimens
  • Plate reading interpretation and reporting of results.
  • Identification of gram-positive cocci, gram negative rods, non-fermenters, and gram-negative coccobacilli, and anaerobes.
  • Methods used for identification of Mycobacteria, Chlamydia, Mycoplasma, and Rickettsial diseases.
  • Basic techniques used for the identification of human fungal pathogens
  • Routine susceptibility testing of
  • Routine identification of pathogens commonly found in respiratory, stool, wound, genitourinary, blood, cerebrospinal, and other body fluids.
  • History and introduction of molecular concepts; nucleic acid function and structure; human genetics; DNA structure; nucleic acid isolation; identification and amplification techniques; and components of a clinical molecular diagnostics laboratory.