UAM1 — UAM1 Task 1: Research Essay
Competencies
1034.1.4 : Analyzes Infectious Diseases
The learner analyzes disease characteristics to inform individuals about etiologies and treatments.
Introduction
Microorganisms are a vital part of our everyday life. They protect our bodies and help them function, produce foods for us, and provide the earth with important nutrients. Some microorganisms cause a variety of important global infectious diseases that have had major impacts on the lives of individuals, communities, and populations.
For this task, your goal is to research both a bacterial and nonbacterial disease selected from a provided list and to learn about each pathogen’s characteristics and transmission, identify signs and symptoms, and understand treatment and prevention strategies for the diseases.
This lab will encourage critical thinking, analysis, reasoning, and decision-making that forges connections among complex systems while solving a problem.
Requirements
Your submission must be your original work. No more than a combined total of 30% of the submission and no more than a 10% match to any one individual source can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. The similarity report that is provided when you submit your task can be used as a guide.
You must use the rubric to direct the creation of your submission because it provides detailed criteria that will be used to evaluate your work. Each requirement below may be evaluated by more than one rubric aspect. The rubric aspect titles may contain hyperlinks to relevant portions of the course.
Tasks may not be submitted as cloud links, such as links to Google Docs, Google Slides, OneDrive, etc., unless specified in the task requirements. All other submissions must be file types that are uploaded and submitted as attachments (e.g., .docx, .pdf, .ppt).
Write a research paper (suggested length of 2–4 pages, single-spaced), including the following:
A. Choose one bacterial disease and one nonbacterial disease (e.g., viral, fungal, parasitic) to research from the following list:
• chlamydia, influenza A and B, staphylococcus (MRSA), E. coli, herpes (HSV-1, HSV-2), shigellosis, syphilis, gonorrhea, norovirus, salmonella, pneumonia, hepatitis, HIV, common cold, COVID-19, rotavirus, tuberculosis, malaria, measles
B. Cite one reliable resource you used to find information for each chosen disease.
Note: Reliable sources may include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institutes of Health (NIH), United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), World Health Organization (WHO), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID).
C. Describe each of the following for the chosen bacterial disease:
• the name of the organism that causes the disease
• how the disease is transmitted
• signs or symptoms common to the chosen disease
• how to treat the disease
D. Describe each of the following for the chosen nonbacterial disease:
• the name of the organism that causes the disease
• how the disease is transmitted
• signs or symptoms common to the chosen disease
• how to treat the disease
E. Explain the following for each chosen disease:
• why you chose to learn more about the disease
• the impact the chosen disease has had on a population or community
F. Explain how the findings from this research paper would apply to your personal life regarding each of the following questions:
• What advice might you offer to someone infected with the chosen bacterial disease?
• What advice might you offer to someone infected with the chosen nonbacterial disease?
• What advice might you offer to someone to prevent infection from each of the chosen diseases?
G. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.
H. Demonstrate professional communication in the content and presentation of your submission.
UAM1 — UAM1 Task 2: Microbiology Lab
Competencies
1034.1.4 : Analyzes Infectious Diseases
The learner analyzes disease characteristics to inform individuals about etiologies and treatments.
Introduction
Many signs and symptoms of disease are common to several different microorganisms. For example, a sore throat and fever could be caused by a cold virus, influenza, a bacterial sinus infection, strep throat, allergies, or any number of other respiratory infections. It is often important to explicitly identify the organism causing the disease so that treatment can be targeted to the patient and infection. In this lab, you will learn about a subset of the possible tests that are used to identify microbes causing an infection. In a real clinical setting, deciding which tests to use and the order they are performed are important decisions for minimizing cost and maximizing results by using the least number of instruments and tools to reach a conclusion.
To identify the unknown organism in this lab, you will be provided with a decision tree and lab manual that will help guide you to logically choose which test results to analyze until you are able to identify the unknown organism. This task ends with you proposing treatment for this organism based on the test results. You will write an original lab report to record and summarize your findings.
This lab will encourage critical thinking, analysis, reasoning, and decision-making that forges connections among complex systems while solving a problem.
Requirements
Your submission must be your original work. No more than a combined total of 30% of the submission and no more than a 10% match to any one individual source can be directly quoted or closely paraphrased from sources, even if cited correctly. The similarity report that is provided when you submit your task can be used as a guide.
You must use the rubric to direct the creation of your submission because it provides detailed criteria that will be used to evaluate your work. Each requirement below may be evaluated by more than one rubric aspect. The rubric aspect titles may contain hyperlinks to relevant portions of the course.
Tasks may not be submitted as cloud links, such as links to Google Docs, Google Slides, OneDrive, etc., unless specified in the task requirements. All other submissions must be file types that are uploaded and submitted as attachments (e.g., .docx, .pdf, .ppt).
Lab Report Directions
Write a lab report that includes the following:
A. Identify which unknown organism you will be researching and the attached “Lab Manual” you will use. Include these numbers in your lab report. Identify your unknown organism by doing the following:
• Find the group in the following table that correlates to the first initial of your last or family name.
• Select one of the four possible unknown organisms from the column within your group.
Note: For example, if your last name begins with H, you may choose from Unknown 5, 6, 7, or 8 in the table. If you chose Unknown 8, using the corresponding number, you would open the attached “Task 2 Unknown Lab Manual #8.”
Group 1 (A-F) Group 2 (G-L) Group 3 (M-R) Group 4 (S-Z)
Unknown 1 Unknown 5 Unknown 9 Unknown 13
Unknown 2 Unknown 6 Unknown 10 Unknown 14
Unknown 3 Unknown 7 Unknown 11 Unknown 15
Unknown 4 Unknown 8 Unknown 12 Unknown 16
Note: Use the “Decision Tree” located in Section 4 Lesson 2.7 as a guide while working through your chosen lab manual to decide which tests to explore to identify your unknown organism.
First Identification Test: Gram Stain
B. Describe the color and morphology of the cells observed in the Gram stain image provided in the lab manual and whether the unknown organism is gram-positive or gram-negative in your lab report.
Second Identification Test
C. Identify the second identification test to perform to learn about your unknown organism and explain why you chose this test.
1. Describe the basic steps needed to perform the second identification test.
2. Describe the observed results of the second identification test (e.g., color, presence of bubbles) and determine whether the test results are positive or negative.
3. Explain what the results of the second identification test tell you about the traits of the unknown organism chosen in part A.
Third Identification Test
D. Identify the third identification test to be performed and explain why you chose this test.
1. Describe the basic steps needed to perform the third identification test.
2. Describe the observed results of the third identification test (e.g., color, presence of bubbles) and determine whether the test results are positive or negative.
3. Explain what the results of the third identification test tell you about the traits of the unknown organism chosen in part A.
E. Identify your unknown organism based on your observed results and the “Decision Tree” web link.
Kirby-Bauer Diffusion Test
F. Describe how the Kirby-Bauer diffusion test in your lab manual determines whether a particular antibiotic can be used to treat an infection.
1. Describe whether the observed zone of inhibition measurement results from your Kirby-Bauer diffusion test indicate that the organism identified in part E is resistant, susceptible, or intermediately susceptible to each antibiotic tested, based on the provided “Data Table” from your lab manual.
2. Select the best antibiotic for treatment of the identified organism from part E based on the observed results from part F1.
G. Acknowledge sources, using in-text citations and references, for content that is quoted, paraphrased, or summarized.